The Cincinnati Bengals face no bigger issue than the inconsistency at offensive tackle. Losing Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler was destined to hurt, but the indifference of Cedric Ogbuehi and the health concerns of Jake Fisher have made the issues even more profound.
Baker Mayfield is another option for the Bengals here, but if the organization is willing to give Marvin Lewis an extension, it’s likely to give Andy Dalton the benefit of the doubt, as well.
Cincinnati finished the 2017 regular season ranked No. 29 in yards per carry, which was as much a product of its porous offensive line as it was its predictable play-calling. It also allowed 40 sacks, which only begins to scratch the surface of how poor its pass protection was.
The jury is still out on Dalton, but he deserves credit for throwing 25 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions in a year during which he was under constant pressure.
Mike McGlinchey is the safest option here as a versatile player who can step up and lead the charge on both sides of the line. He has experience at both left and right tackle, and graded well against both the pass and the run in 2017.
With three years of starting experience, including two protecting the blindside of a carousel of quarterbacks, experience works in the favor of the best tackle in this draft class.
In a division with Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz, having a young quarterback on a team-friendly contract will be crucial. After trading for Alex Smith, however, the Washington Redskins are clearly in win-now mode—and that makes the offensive line a top priority.
Pro Bowl mainstay Trent Williams is a star of the highest degree, but Washington can solidify the right tackle position with Connor Williams at No. 13.
Williams is a top-10 talent who falls out of that range due to injury concerns. When he’s healthy and at his best, however, he can be a genuinely dominant force in pass protection and a dynamic run protector who can get to the second level.
That’s an appealing truth for a Washington team that’s likely to run the ball on a consistent basis with Smith taking over at quarterback.
Trent Williams is a star, but it must also be noted that he missed a large portion of the 2017 regular season due to a lingering knee injury. It’s likely that he’ll return to 100 percent, but this team needs to build a genuinely elite O-Line if it’s going to win with Smith under center.
Williams is a high-risk, high-reward type of player, but if the injury concerns are proved to be overblown, then this could be the answer for Washington.