Newsletter

2009 Offensive Line Analysis - Cincinnati Bengals

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Andrew Whitworth
Left Guard: Nate Livings
Center: Kyle Cook
Right Guard: Bobbie Williams
Right Tackle: Andre Smith

2008 Injuries:
T Levi Jones: Weeks 12 to 17
G Andrew Whitworth: Weeks 12 to 17
G Stacy Andrews: Week 17

2008 Statistics:

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Bengals had an extremely difficult season in 2008 with only four wins and it’s no surprise considering their offensive line was arguably the worst in the NFL. The Bengals ranked 30th in sacks allowed with 51 and also 30th in the running game with an average of only 3.6 yards per carry. It was no surprise that the running game struggled since it has not averaged above 3.7 yards per carry since 2005 but they astonishingly allowed three times more sacks than they did in 2007.

Starting at left tackle for the Bengals will be Andrew Whitworth, one of only two returning starters on this offensive line. Whitworth has been playing mainly at left guard since being drafted in the second round by the Bengals in 2006 but he still started 13 games at left tackle in his first three seasons and has done an adequate job if we forget his struggles from his rookie year. His 6’7” and 340 lbs frame is perfect for the left tackle position although he is not particularly strong for his size. Overall he is a very smart player who is better in pass protection than run blocking and should have no problem adjusting to his new position. Opposite of him will be 2009 first round pick Andre Smith. He has great size at 6’4” and 330 lbs and has surprisingly quick feet for his size. He has good awareness for a 22-year old lineman but, like most rookies, he has a lot of work to do to improve his technique. Smith has not missed a start in three years with Alabama and allowed only one sack last season. Despite his success in college as a pass protector, he could struggle early against quicker linemen in the NFL and the right tackle position should be much more forgiving for him. Starting at right tackle this season will give him time to adjust to the NFL until he is ready to make the move to left tackle. The top backup for both tackle positions is Anthony Collins who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Collins is pretty mobile and good in pass protection but could improve his run blocking. His lateral footwork and technique also needs a lot of improvement but he was ranked by many as a second round prospect last year. He started six games in his rookie year and was very impressive but is unlikely to earn a starting job this year. Collins is the favorite to start at right tackle when Andre Smith makes the move to the left side and Whitworth moves back inside.

Replacing Whitworth at left guard will be the 27-year old Nate Livings who started six games at that position last season. Livings is pretty strong with average mobility but his work ethic was questionable in college. The coaching staff seemed to really like what they saw from him and he could be a surprise this season for the Bengals. Opposite of him will be the veteran Bobbie Williams, the only returning starter that will play the same position as last year on the line. He is a 6’4” and 345 lbs guard who is a force as a run blocker. Unfortunately, the running on the right side was sub-par for the past few years because he was surrounded by two well-below average run blockers. Williams is also pretty good in pass protection but the Bengals will need to start looking for a replacement pretty soon since he will turn 33 in September. The top backup at guard is the seventh-year veteran Scott Kooistra. He has been in uniform for 80 games in his first six seasons with the Bengals but has only started one game. Like Livings and Williams, he has very good size at 6’6” and 335 lbs but will likely remain a backup for the remainder of his career. Nonetheless he is a valuable player for the Bengals since he has the ability to play at both guard positions and at right tackle.

The center position is an open competition after Eric Ghiaciuc signed with the Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent in the off-season. Ghiaciuc was the weak link on this line and his lack of strength was a liability for the running game. Battling for the job this season are Kyle Cook, a former undrafted free agent, and Jonathan Luigs, this year’s fourth round pick. Cook does not have the greatest athletic abilities but he is a very smart player who could be very surprising this season and is the favourite to win the job. Luigs is also a pretty smart player and is very athletic but he is probably not strong enough to be a starter in the NFL at this point.

2009 Outlook:
The Bengals line made major changes this off-season and will be quite interesting to watch with so many new starters. Jones was very inconsistent last season at the left tackle position and missed six starts so Whitworth should be an upgrade this year but Livings will be a downgrade at left guard. Kyle Cook should be a small upgrade over Ghiaciuc at center; maybe not in terms of skills but he will be a big help in terms of line calls. As for the right tackle position, Andre Smith should be a big upgrade over Stacy Andrews who had a difficult season last year. In terms of depth, the Bengals are in pretty good shape with Collins, Kooistra and Luigs and should not see much of a drop in performance even if a few players were to be hurt. Overall, the Bengals should be better in run blocking than they have been in the past few seasons mainly because of the addition of Andre Smith and should also be better in pass protection, especially with Palmer back at quarterback. The Bengals line remains slightly below average in both pass protection and run blocking but could surprise depending on the performance of Cook and Smith.

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles