The Bengals Have No Choice But To Unleash Myles Murphy
Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The “Next Man Up” mentality is necessary in the NFL. A backup quarterback can go from being the team’s designated clipboard holder to their permanent starter in an instant. A free agent kicker can go from sitting on his couch, watching NFL Red Zone, and saying “I could’ve made that” to getting that exact opportunity the moment a team’s starter tears his ACL while celebrating a routine field goal.
It’s been a long wait for Myles Murphy, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-round pick from 2023, to get to be the next man up. But after Sunday, he may finally be getting that chance.
Myles Murphy had the highest pass-rush win rate of any Bengals defender vs. the Titans at 20%, per PFF’s early charting.
He only played 30 snaps. That needs to be closer to 40-45 with Hubbard now out.
Would be awesome to see him close out the season playing like he did today.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) December 15, 2024
Sam Hubbard’s production has very clearly declined, which may or may not have to do with playing through a hamstring injury. Now that he’s likely gone for the year after injuring his knee on a receiving touchdown, Murphy will likely be penciled in as the full-time starter, and Lou Anarumo has no choice but to unleash him over these last three weeks to see what he’s capable of.
The rest will be up to Murphy, and whether he can thrive in the NFL is an open question. There’s frustration bubbling up from the fanbase surrounding Murphy due to a lack of flashy production from the sophomore. Teams need to hit on their first-round picks, especially the teams that are notorious for not spending money. Murphy was expected to become a cornerstone of the Bengals’ defense and Vontaze Burfict himself into quarterbacks on a regular basis. While he has logged zero sacks and only two QB hits all season, those numbers hardly tell the whole story.
Myles Murphy registered a 35.0% pass rush win rate in Week 15 vs the Titans. Thats the second best win rate by a Bengals defender in a game this season (Hendrickson's 40.0% black out game vs LA).
I beg the media to look past box score stats. https://t.co/qa2jjjRjbR
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) December 16, 2024
Murphy was a critical piece on a Bengals defense that made mincemeat of the Titans’ offensive line. His PFF pass rush grade was 85.0, which was nearly twelve points higher than the next-closest player on the Bengals. Boxscore stats or no, that gives him a performance to build off of, especially as the Bengals will likely thrust him into the starting role. For a team with the second-fewest QB sacks of any team in the league (25), they need all the help they can get.
Thrusting him into the starting lineup may very well give the team another full-time option outside of Trey Hendrickson, and if last week was any indication, he should be an upgrade over what Hubbard was providing as a pass-rusher. Hubbard had the second-worst pass rush grade in the NFL, per PFF (47.6), logging a mere 18 pressures on 253 pass rush snaps. Meanwhile, Murphy has nearly matched that total (17 pressures) on almost 100 fewer pass rush snaps (159), and even has a 15-10 edge in terms of hurries. Among players with at least 20 pass-rushing snaps in Week 15, Murphy’s 35% Pass Rush Win Rate was the highest of any defensive player.
While Hubbard’s absence also opens the door for Joseph Ossai, Murphy’s potential, youth, and strong outing on Sunday should give him an ever-so-slight edge over Ossai. We also can’t forget about his first-round status. Fair or not, teams want to have something to show for those picks, and giving Murphy a chance to start and succeed in Hubbard’s place would be a step toward him shaking off the “first-round bust” label that fans are starting to attach to his name.
Assuming Anarumo gives Murphy the green light to start, he’ll have a great opponent to deliver a big game against. The Cleveland Browns have been marred by horrific offensive line play (among a ton of other things going wrong), allowing the most sacks of any team in the NFL (58). Jameis Winston’s PFF grade under pressure (32.8) is the second-worst of any quarterback (minimum 100 pressured dropbacks). After Murphy showed well against an equally porous Tennessee Titans offensive line, we have proof of concept for a great showing in Week 16.
Furthermore, 2025 promises to be a transitional year with the Bengals’ edge rushers. Ossai and Cam Sample (the latter of whom suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason) are entering the final year of their contracts. Hubbard may be on his way out, between his declining production and $9 million salary in 2025. If Hubbard is released, the Bengals would save a crucial $7 million against the cap. But that only works if someone is ready to step into his place full-time.
With the team looking to rebound after a season that fell well below expectations, the Bengals have no choice but to unleash Murphy and see what he’s capable of in the starting role. Boosting Murphy’s playing time would give the Bengals their best opportunity to pressure the opposing quarterback, and it would give him significant game reps so he can be prepared to settle in as the cornerstone piece we’re all hoping he can become.
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