NOTE: This is the fifth of a 10-part series detailing each position group for the Bengals heading into 2025 training camp, which begins on July 23, and culminating with a 53-player roster projection.

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – This part takes a look at the offensive line positions and who is a lock to make the 53-man roster when it’s finalized on Aug. 26, who will likely make it, who is in a battle to make it and who are longshots to make it:

How many will likely be kept: 9-10

Lock to make it: OT Orlando Brown Jr., OT Amarius Mims, C Ted Karras, G Lucas Patrick, G Dylan Fairchild, G/T Cody Ford

Likely to make it: G Cordell Volson

Battling to make it: C Matt Lee, C Seth McLaughlin, G Jaxson Kirkland, OT Jalen Rivers, OT Devin Cochran

Longshot to make it: OT Andrew Coker, OT Caleb Etiene, OT Andrew Stueber, G Tashawn Manning

The Skinny: The Bengals will have a changing of the guard at least at one of the two guards spots from last season and perhaps both.

2024 starting right guard Alex Cappa was allowed to leave in free agency, while Volson, who started 15 games at left guard but was demoted late in the season, will start training camp running with the second team.

The team signed veteran Patrick and drafted Fairchild in the third round and they worked with the first unit during mini-camp with Patrick at right guard and Fairchild at left guard.

Make no mistake, there will be competition for both starting spots with Ford battling Patrick and Volson battling Fairchild.

Ford is a valuable depth piece, however, as he started five games at left tackle, one at right tackle and two at left guard last season.

The coaching staff has been high on Kirkland, who was an undrafted free agent signee in 2023 and after spending that season on the practice squad played two games early last season before suffering a season-ending torn biceps in the Oct. 6 game against Baltimore.

The two starting tackles are back in veteran Brown and Mims, the team’s 2024 first-round pick who had a solid first season.

Brown missed six games due to injuries and Mims missed four. That’s where Ford played a valuable role as their backup.

The Bengals don’t really have a leading candidate for the backup swing tackle other than Ford.

Rivers was a fifth-round pick and will be in the mix, and so will Cochran, who made one start at left tackle last season.

Karras is back for his fourth season as the starting center and he has started all 50 games the team played over the last three seasons. The depth for his backup is Lee, a seventh-round pick last season, and McLaughlin, an undrafted rookie free agent who was bypassed in the draft due to a torn achilles from which he is still recovering. The hope is McLaughlin will be able to participate in camp from day one.

BENGALS TRAINING CAMP POSITION PREVIEW SCHEDULE

July 7:QuarterbackJuly 8: Running BackJuly 9: Tight EndJuly 10: Wide ReceiverJuly 11: Offensive lineJuly 14: Defensive lineJuly 15: LinebackerJuly 16: SecondaryJuly 17: SpecialistsJuly 18: 5 questions facing the team entering training camp and a 53-player roster projection