With all the attention on star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, the Cincinnati Bengals can't lose sight of the fact that their guard situation is still extremely shaky.
The Bengals did draft Dylan Fairchild in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but there's no telling if he'll be ready to take on a starting role in Year 1. If not, the Bengals will be left with Cordell Volson and Cody Ford as their starters.
Why is that a problem? Well neither one is even an average option to start at either guard spot after posting lackluster blocking numbers in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.
Pressures: 37
Sacks: 5
Pass-blocking grade: 50.2
Run-blocking grade: 49.8
Pressures: 43
Sacks: 6
Pass-blocking grade: 49.4
Run-blocking grade: 65.6
It goes without saying that the Bengals, a team with Super Bowl aspirations, could use an upgrade to protect franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.
One option for Cincinnati is former Jacksonville Jaguars $49 million starting guard, Brandon Scherff, who was recently predicted to land with the Bengals by Bleacher Report's Moe Moton.
"The Cincinnati Bengals should have signed Scherff long ago," Moton said. "With a pass-centric offense, they must do a better job of protecting Joe Burrow, who tied for the fourth-most sacks (48) taken last year.
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"Guards Cordell Volson and Cody Ford are below-average starters. The former had a rough 2024 season with his pass-blocking assignments. Scherff would be a much-needed upgrade on the right side of the offensive line."
While Scherff did struggle with run-blocking last season, his 57.3 grade in that area is comparable to Volson and Ford. Where Scherff really shines is in pass protection, where his 74.5 grade, zero sacks and 17 pressures were vastly superior to the numbers the aforementioned two gave up.
If Spotrac's projection of a one-year, $6.7 million deal for Scherff comes to fruition, the Bengals adding the veteran guard becomes even more of a no-brainer.
If he ends up signing that kind of deal and it isn't with the Bengals, the franchise should be disbanded for negligence.
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