Bengals 2026 Training Camp Preview: OL
Players:
OT:
71. Amarius Mims
75. Orlando Brown
61. Cody Ford
79. Andrew Coker
73. Javon Foster
76. Christian Jones
77. Corey Robinson
G:
66. Dalton Risner
63. Dylan Fairchild
74. Jalen Rivers
62. Brian Parker
60. Liam Brown
C:
64. Ted Karras
65. Connor Lew
69. Jacob Bayer
Moving onto the offensive line now, we’ll start with OT. This one is pretty straightforward at the top. Former 1st round pick Amarius Mims will continue to operate at RT, where he has quietly developed into a high quality starter. Orlando Brown continues to have a few blips in certain matchups, but he remains a generally solid starter as well. He’ll continue at LT.
Cody Ford is probably first off the bench at every position outside of C. I’ve seen him listed at OT and G at various points, but by now, it doesn’t really matter. He is a passable fill-in, but his versatility is what is really keeping him around.
Andrew Coker will try to make a play for a roster spot. He had a pretty good preseason last year, but the numbers game saw him just miss out. Another good showing might see him squeak in.
Foster spent part of last season on the Bengals practice squad after appearing in a handful of games with Jacksonville in 2024. He’ll be competing for one of the back-end spots, and a practice squad spot if there isn’t any room on the roster.
The two rookie UDFA’s, Jones and Robinson, will also be part of that back-end battle. Both are raw, so realistically, the practice squad is most likely, if they don’t get cut. But Jones does have enough tools and upside that I wouldn’t count him out. The Bengals gave him a $50,000 signing bonus, so it would seem that they see the potential too, and made sure to entice him to sign in Cincinnati.
G has been somewhat of a revolving door in recent years, but the Bengals seem to have finally figured it out. Dalton Risner was signed late last offseason and, after a rough start to the year, came into his own. He was part of a unit that did a complete 180 around the time of the trade for Joe Flacco. He will hold down the RG spot. Meanwhile, Fairchild held down the LG spot as a rookie, and really grew into it. The peaks and valleys slowly turned into more peaks, and the team will be hoping for another leap forward in his sophomore season.
As mentioned, Ford is probably first off the bench at G. But Jalen Rivers could also be in the mix. He struggled as a rookie last season, but I do want to see how he looks in camp. It is reasonable to expect improvement from a second year player, and perhaps he can come in and make a statement.
Brian Parker, the rookie, is also someone who could find himself in the mix. I loved him as a prospect, and he brings versatility, so it will be interesting to see where he is used. Many projected him inside at G or C because of his shorter arms, but he played a lot of tackle in college, and might get his early work there, given that it is the most valuable position, to see if he can stick. But his versatility, like Ford, should quickly earn him points with the coaching staff.
Rounding out the G position with Liam Brown. The rookie UDFA will have an uphill battle to make it. I didn’t see anything that stood out when watching his college tape, so I wouldn’t even call him a strong bet for the practice squad. But we’ll see if he can come in and prove otherwise.
Finishing off with C. I already touched on Parker’s potential to make an impact at this position. Perhaps he could be the C of the future. But it will be Ted Karras retaining his starting spot. The veteran is one of the team’s most respected leaders, and still can play at a solid level.
There has been some speculation about when Karras might hang up his cleats. If/when that happens, Parker won’t be the only one looking to jump in. Connor Lew also has a strong play at it, and the rookie is actually projected to win the battle for backup C, with Parker likely working as a tackle. Lew could have been the first C drafted, but an injury saw him slip down the draft board. For the Bengals, it might have landed them a steal.
Jacob Bayer rounds out the competition. He was originally a 2025 UDFA signing of the Bills, and joined the Bengals practice squad in November. The numbers game will make it tough for him, and I don’t see him landing on the roster. Perhaps he can do enough to keep his spot on the practice squad.
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