The Cincinnati Bengals could be in line to start a different right guard for a third time this season.
Rookie Jalen Rivers is getting reps with the starting offensive line as practice gets underway in Cincinnati. Bengals coach Zac Taylor was non-committal when asked if veteran guard Dalton Risner will start again at right guard this week as he has in the last two games.
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“We’ve got some options there and so we’ll go through the week and see what ends up happening,” Taylor said on Sept. 25.
Rookie Jalen Rivers, who was selected in the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft, is getting some reps with the first team at right guard and could potentially start against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 29.
The Bengals drafted Rivers in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft out of the University of Miami. He primarily played left tackle in college but started getting reps at guard during training camp.
If Rivers does get the nod against the Broncos on Sept. 29, the Bengals will be starting two rookies on the offensive line. Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild is the other rookie and he’s started all three games at left guard for the Bengals.
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Rivers played 23 snaps in Cincinnati’s most recent game against the Vikings when he replaced Risner. Getting reps with the starters in Minnesota could be invaluable for the rookie and the rest of the Bengals’ offensive line as they prepare for another game on the road.
“This week, I’m getting some reps with the 1s,” Rivers said to The Enquirer. “Getting the cadence down. Being next to the guys, Ted and Mims, just gelling with them. If I am in on Monday like Zac maybe (is) saying, it’s good to gel with the guys. Monday Night Football, everyone is watching, they are going to trust me, I’m going to make the most of my opportunity.”
When the Bengals selected Rivers, they didn’t envision him starting in Week 4. Lucas Patrick’s injury in Week 1 has greatly altered the team’s plans at the position. Depth at guard was always in question even after Patrick was signed and it’s showing more than ever right now. Patrick was placed on injured reserve and has to miss a minimum of four games and won’t be eligible to play again until after Cincinnati’s home game against the Lions on Oct. 5.
Bengals guard Dalton Risner, at left with Browns’ quarterback Joe Flacco, started against the Vikings but head coach Zac Taylor was non-committal Sept. 25 on whether Risner would start against the Denver Broncos.
Risner signed with the Bengals on Aug. 28 after taking a visit earlier in the month. The signing of Risner at the time seemed like the perfect move given he was able to come in and start at right guard after just a few days of practice with the Bengals. Risner helped the Bengals to a win in Cleveland when Patrick went down.
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His performance since then hasn’t been consistent enough and that’s why Taylor is contemplating a change. Risner has experience but lacked the production the Bengals are looking for, specifically in the run game. Pro Football Focus has Risner ranked as the No. 63 overall guard in the NFL based off their grading metrics with a total score of 46.4.
The Bengals are trying to jump-start their rushing attack and Risner’s strength isn’t in the run game. He’s much better in pass protection and that area of his game has also struggled.
This isn’t an easy decision for Taylor to make because there’s a gamble he faces with each player. If he starts Rivers and he isn’t ready to go, he’ll get questions about why he chose to start two rookies on the road. On the other hand, if he starts Risner and he continues to play poorly, he’ll be asked why he didn’t give Rivers a chance to see what he could do.
But if Taylor does decide to start Rivers against the Broncos, he’s got the benefit of sticking him next to team captain and veteran center Ted Karras and second year right tackle Amarius Mims.
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There’s no one who understands what Rivers is going through better than Mims. Three games into his rookie season, Mims was thrusted into the Bengals’ starting lineup. He has gone out of his way to help Rivers get ready.
“His story is similar to mine, not saying he’s won the job or is going to win the job, whoever plays next to me on Monday, great, let’s roll,” Mims said. “Week 3 (last year) I got thrown into the fire when Trent (Brown) went down. Week 3, (Jalen) got thrown into the fire. We got the same story, I told him when we get opportunities, we got to run with it. It is a blessing to be a starter in the league. Being a starter in this league is hard. Just telling him to take it day by day, play by play.”
Mims has now played next to four different guards in the last month, including training camp practices and preseason games. And while it takes a few practices to get used to playing next to someone new, Mims says he can’t let the Bengals’ revolving door at right guard impact his performance.
“I’ve got to focus on me and learn each guard that I’m playing beside and just be ready to go,” Mims said.
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It looks like the Bengals will let Rivers and Risner battle it out during practice this week before deciding. Taylor likely won’t name the starter before the game for competitive reasons.
Regardless of who Taylor chooses to start, both need to be ready to go. If an injury were to take place to Fairchild and whoever gets the start on the right side, Rivers/Risner would replace either option. Cincinnati’s offensive line will have a tough assignment against the Broncos as they have one of the NFL’s best defensive fronts. The Broncos are tied for first in the league with 12 sacks through three games. Linebacker Nik Bonitto leads the way with three on the year.
The Bengals are hoping to rebound from a brutal loss in Week 3 to the Minnesota Vikings. Cincinnati’s offense has yet to find its rhythm and the unit is hoping to take a step forward against the Broncos on a national stage in Denver.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals pondering another change to the starting lineup at right guard