Sheldon Rankins Should Only Be Part Of The DT Plan
Syndication: The Tennessean
It’s always tough to watch a core piece of the team depart to another squad. The Bengals watched exactly that happen, as DJ Reader left for the Detroit Lions on a two year deal.
While Reader’s massive presence will be missed in the trenches, he is coming off of a debilitating quad injury that he suffered in Week 15 last season against the Minnesota Vikings. The business of the NFL is a brutal one, but Cincinnati was understandably cautious when it came to not banking too much on Reader returning to form nine months after that injury.
The day before that signing was announced, Cincinnati already put their replacement plan in motion.
Source: Sheldon Rankins and the #Bengals are closing in on a contract agreement. Expected to be done tonight. pic.twitter.com/ys0UW7nBkX
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 13, 2024
The veteran defensive tackle, who turns 30 next month, was brought in as a 3 tech defensive tackle to bolster a Cincinnati pass rush that got nearly 40% of its sacks from Trey Hendrickson alone. He was lauded for his skills in getting to the quarterback, as in 2023, he had 40 pressures, 30 hurries, six sacks. Three of those sacks came in one game against… oh boy.
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
A weak point in Rankins’ game, however, is defending the run, and this is where DJ Reader thrived when healthy. Rankins had a PFF run grade of 38.2 in run defense, which is nearly half of Reader’s grade. Given the fact that their run defense gave up the 7th most yards per game in the NFL in 2023, losing the massive run stuffing presence that is DJ Reader will sting.
It is not, however, the end of the world.
As it stands now, the current starting defensive tackles for the Bengals are Rankins and BJ Hill, who the Bengals acquired in 2021 for the right Price.
BJ Hill for Billy Price, best trade ever.#RuleTheJungle
— Bengal Jim’s BTR (@bengaljims_BTR) December 24, 2022
*rimshot GIF*
Luckily, the Bengals still can address their need for a run-stuffing defensive tackle, as Cincinnati is widely expected to address the trenches early on in the draft. While the Bengals may have been wise to not risk investing a hefty sum of money into a player coming off a devastating injury, his presence must still be replaced. Doing so will allow the trenches to not feel the loss of DJ Reader like it did last season when he went down with his torn quad.
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