The Bengals are one of the “relatively White friendliest” teams in the NFL, much like the team they faced in the Super Bowl last season, the Los Angeles Rams. The biggest weakness by far on last year’s team was the offensive line, with the result that improving it was a major priority this offseason. It’s gone from 4/5 Black last year to 4/5 White in 2022, but the Steelers made mincemeat of it in Week one. Hopefully that was an aberration and as the team jells the line will play better. Certainly the talent on paper is a big improvement over previous seasons.
It needs to be much better because QB Joe Burrow has taken quite a pounding his first two seasons in the league as the first overall draft pick in 2020. Burrow has justified his lofty draft status and is a great talent, maybe even a transcendent one if he can be kept upright and given enough time to throw.
The Bengals are noteworthy in that they start three Whites on defense, practically an outlier in today’s NFL, and all three of them are outstanding – ends Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendricksen, and linebacker Logan Wilson.
Tight end Hayden Hurst came over from the Falcons and immediately strengthened that position. Trent Taylor, whose career got off to a promising start with the 49ers before being derailed by injuries, is a back-up WR and punt returner.
Although the overall number of Whites on the 53 man roster is just 18, that’s still one of the best numbers among the 32 teams, and the 9 White starters ties the Rams for the highest in that category.
QB: Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen
LT: Jonah Williams
LG: Cordell Volson (first White guy I’ve ever come across with the name Cordell)
C: Ted Karras
RG: Alex Cappa, Max Scharping
WR: Trent Taylor
TE: Hayden Hurst, Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox
LDE: Sam Hubbard
RDE: Trey Hendricksen
WLB: Logan Wilson, Clay Johnston
Number of White starters: 9
Number of Whites on 53 man roster: 18
Grade: C-
P: Kevin Huber
PK: Evan McPherson
LS: Cal Adomitus
Practice squad: G Nate Gilliam, QB Jake Browning, WR Trenton Irwin, P Drue Chrisman, TE Nick Bowers
It needs to be much better because QB Joe Burrow has taken quite a pounding his first two seasons in the league as the first overall draft pick in 2020. Burrow has justified his lofty draft status and is a great talent, maybe even a transcendent one if he can be kept upright and given enough time to throw.
The Bengals are noteworthy in that they start three Whites on defense, practically an outlier in today’s NFL, and all three of them are outstanding – ends Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendricksen, and linebacker Logan Wilson.
Tight end Hayden Hurst came over from the Falcons and immediately strengthened that position. Trent Taylor, whose career got off to a promising start with the 49ers before being derailed by injuries, is a back-up WR and punt returner.
Although the overall number of Whites on the 53 man roster is just 18, that’s still one of the best numbers among the 32 teams, and the 9 White starters ties the Rams for the highest in that category.
QB: Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen
LT: Jonah Williams
LG: Cordell Volson (first White guy I’ve ever come across with the name Cordell)
C: Ted Karras
RG: Alex Cappa, Max Scharping
WR: Trent Taylor
TE: Hayden Hurst, Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox
LDE: Sam Hubbard
RDE: Trey Hendricksen
WLB: Logan Wilson, Clay Johnston
Number of White starters: 9
Number of Whites on 53 man roster: 18
Grade: C-
P: Kevin Huber
PK: Evan McPherson
LS: Cal Adomitus
Practice squad: G Nate Gilliam, QB Jake Browning, WR Trenton Irwin, P Drue Chrisman, TE Nick Bowers
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