Cincinnati Bengals News On Young Pass Rushers + Time To PANIC About Offensive Line Ft Orlando Brown?

Through two games, the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive line has gone from a question mark to one of the biggest reasons this team is 2-0.

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The centerpiece is obvious: Dexter Lawrence has been everything Cincinnati hoped for when it brought him in. Against Houston, Lawrence consistently disrupted the interior, making life difficult for the Texans’ offensive line and helping Cincinnati generate pressure at a remarkable rate. The bigger takeaway is that the production isn’t coming from one player. The Bengals have been strong against the run, they’ve created consistent pressure without relying exclusively on blitzes, and the entire front looks more physical and disruptive than it did a year ago.

That’s a massive development for a defense that needed to become more aggressive.

And then there’s the other side of the line.

It might be time to start worrying a little about Orlando Brown Jr. Brown has been a fixture at left tackle since joining Cincinnati, but Week 2 was a rough one. Joe Burrow was pressured throughout the game, and Brown was involved in several of those breakdowns. For a team built around protecting Burrow and giving him enough time to find Ja’Marr Chase and the rest of Cincinnati’s playmakers, that’s something worth watching closely.

That doesn’t mean Brown suddenly can’t play. It’s only two games, and offensive-line problems rarely fall entirely on one player. Communication, quarterback timing and the play design can all contribute to pressure. But Brown’s early-season struggles are noticeable, particularly because Burrow’s health and ability to operate from the pocket are so important to everything Cincinnati wants to do offensively.

The encouraging part is that the defensive line looks capable of carrying a significant load. The concern is that Cincinnati may need that defense to compensate for some real issues on the other side of the line. Two games isn’t enough to panic, but it’s enough to start paying attention.

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