The Cincinnati Bengals saw plenty of stock movers during the team’s preseason opener on Friday night, a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
And the biggest story is hard to ignore — the offensive line took a major stock dive.
That is, some key pieces on the line took a nosedive on a night where most of the team’s outright starters didn’t see the field. The battle at left guard hit some concerning notes and some of the depth pieces — some of whom started games, if not the Super Bowl last year — outright struggled against backups.
But it wasn’t all bad for the team and names trying to make the final roster. Here’s a look at stock risers and fallers.
Stock up: S Dax Hill
It wasn’t all perfect from Hill, the first-rounder starting in place of Jessie Bates. But that’s to be expected and it’s quite a bit better than it being all bad. Hill had a few hiccups, but he also displayed that athletic range that Bates has and at one point broke up a couple of passes on key third downs. He already showed he can play the slot in three-safety looks, which is good to know for the regular season. He’s not going to be a starter during the regular season, but it’s a really good start to his pro career.
Stock down: OL Jackson Carman
Carman had a brutal start and was eventually the only “starter” left on the field in the first half, which said quite a bit about what the coaching staff saw. While he entered camp with better habits than he did as a rookie, Carman is still too upright and stiff in his technique. He was struggling with the backups and making notable mistakes, so despite his second-round status, he might not be getting first-team reps much longer.
Stock up: RB Chris Evans
Evans showed why he’s deserving of the No. 2 spot behind Joe Mixon, breaking two massive runs early, including one that should have gone for 70-plus yards — only to have both called back by flags. He’s shifty, versatile and ready to have that No. 2 spot as a sophomore.
Stock down: OL depth
Besides Carman, most of the rest of the line was a mess. Hakeem Adeniji, a former starter, got bulldozed a few times. Trey Hill looked like a weak point in the middle. Isaiah Prince, also a former starter, looked overmatched. Even Lamont Gaillard, a potential winner of a backup job, struggled. It was bad enough that backup quarterback Brandon Allen ended up suffering a concussion and highlighted that it’s unlikely the team is done adding to the offensive line.
Stock up: OL Cordell Volson
Fourth-round rookie Cordell Volson was the big exception. Like Hill, he wasn’t always perfect. But he was notably better than Carman on most snaps at left guard, whether it was shooting off the line and getting into the linebackers quickly or sizing up his guys in pass-blocking. It’s nearly impossible to imagine he isn’t taking first-team reps soon.
Stock up: DL Jeff Gunter and Zach Carter
Both Carter and Gunter made splash plays at one point or another on Friday night. Carter, the third-round pick expected to make up the inside pass rush lost via Larry Ogujobi’s departure, looked the part. So did Gunter, one of the most hyped players of training camp, a seventh-round pick who looks like he’ll be making the team just fine if he keeps this pace.
Stock up: WR Kendric Pryor
Pryor, undrafted out of Wisconsin, is at least making what shouldn’t be all that interesting…pretty interesting. One would think the top six or seven receivers are already locked up. But Pryor’s strong camp followed by his four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals suggests otherwise. If he can keep putting in performances like that, he might make much more than just the practice squad.
