Defensive Tackle Is Cincinnati’s Most Underrated Camp Battle
Credit: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The interior of the defensive line suffered a major setback in Week 15, as consistent run stuffer D.J. Reader suffered a debilitating quad injury against the Minnesota Vikings that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Even with Reader up the middle, the Bengals mightily struggled to stop the run. Deepening the trenches was essential for a Bengals squad that allowed the third-most yards per carry (4.7), the seventh-most rushing yards overall (2,145), the third-most 20-plus-yard rushes (17), the fourth-most rushes for first down (127), and the eighth-most rushing touchdowns (17).
Likely due in large part to his quad injury, Cincinnati let Reader walk to Detroit in free agency. In turn, the Bengals went on a defensive tackle shopping spree. With the surplus of talent they now have in the trenches, Cincinnati now has four players who will all be battling for playing time.
The first signing was de facto starter Sheldon Rankins. He has specialized as a pass rusher, particularly over the last couple years. Whether it had something to do with the Bengals landing him, or just coincidence, he had the game of his life against Cincinnati last season.
Sheldon Rankins vs Cincinnati
•3 Sacks
•11 pressures
•93.8 PFF GradeRankins flashed power, quickness and run stopping ability all day long, he was relentless.pic.twitter.com/mIjjlEeMFj
— Drew (@IndepthTexans) November 13, 2023
Upon being signed by the Bengals, Trey Hendrickson spoke highly of his newfound teammate.
“One of the most gifted guys I’ve been around. Naturally one of the most gifted strong guys I’ve seen,” Hendrickson said. “He probably worked for 20 years to get there. All I saw going into the locker room was he had 600 pounds and squatted it like it was nothing. Explosively strong. It shows on third down. His twitch. His moves. He’s got spin moves most edge rushers don’t have. Incredible moves.”
The other starter headed into this season is B.J. Hill. Hill has been a solid contributor to the defense ever since the Bengals traded Billy Price for him in 2021. He is now entering the final year of his three-year, $30 million extension that he signed in 2022, and he’s coming off of a solid season where he had 33 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 42 quarterback pressures, 23 quarterback hurries, and 14 quarterback hits.
While Rankins and Hill are the current starters, the Bengals drafted a couple of big fellas in the most recent draft who are hungry to make an immediate impact.
McKinnley Jackson (68) and Kris Jenkins (90) get their first practice with Bengals Friday. pic.twitter.com/k4tXdwXrx0
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 10, 2024
Kris Jenkins has NFL experience in his DNA, as his father (with the same name) was a long-time interior defensive lineman. Cincinnati scooped Jenkins up in the second round of the 2024 Draft after a strong career at Michigan where he totaled 113 tackles. Jenkins was stronger as a run-stuffer (82.3 PFF grade in 2023) than as a pass rusher (70.5 grade in 2023), but in a division where games are won and lost in the trenches, any run-defending help is paramount.
However he contributes to the team, Jenkins is excited to join the Bengals and contribute in any way possible. “Regardless if I’m a run-stuffer or if I’m an elite pass rusher, I’m looking forward to being the best in each aspect of my game every single day, every single year,” Jenkins said.
Lou Anarumo breathed a sigh of relief when “The Mutant” fell to the Bengals in the draft.
"I was squinting for an hour." Lou Anarumo staring at the screen hoping Kris Jenkins didn't go off the board before 49 as DTs were coming off.
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) April 27, 2024
Cincinnati did not stop there. They acquired another big body in McKinnley Jackson with a compensatory pick in the third round to address their dire need for a run-stuffing nose tackle. Considering the thin group of nose tackles in the draft this year, the Bengals took what many people considered a reach to get Jackson. Like Jenkins, Jackson simply is ready to contribute to the team in whatever way possible.
“I’m glad to be part of it,” Jackson said. “I play football. It doesn’t matter what it is. I do the dirty work. I want to get into the playbook and help bring us a championship.”
With those four players, Cincinnati has a deep roster at defensive tackle that combines veteran talent and younger players full of potential to be long-term contributors. Jenkins and Jackson will be competing with Rankins and Hill for playing time, with the rookies likely pushing the veterans as rotational pieces. In the immediate future, Anarumo has a good problem on his hands: he has to figure out how to split up playing time amongst his talented group of players in the trenches.
The Bengals’ defensive coordinator knows he will figure out a plan to replace Reader in training camp, which begins on Wednesday. During that time, he will take a deep look at his youngsters in Jenkins and Jackson.
“It’s hard to judge any player in the spring, especially (the) O-line and D-line,” Anarumo said. “Their jobs [require them] to hit somebody every play. So while those guys have done everything we’ve asked of them, they’ve done a good job with what they’ve been presented to do. It’ll show itself as we get through training camp.”
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