Sheldon Rankins arrived in free agency as someone who could improve the interior pass rush but also be effective against the run, and the Bengals used second- and third-round draft picks to add Kris Jenkins, a more athletic run stopper, and McKinnley Jackson, a bigger body that will plug gaps.
The big question is: Are the rookies up for as much responsibility as the Bengals might need to place on them?
Let’s take a look at the past performances of the Bengals’ defensive linemen, and how they are expected to stack up in 2023 with help from some analysis and data from Pro Football Focus. This is the fifth in a series of pieces breaking down each position group for the Bengals. Next up: Linebackers.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN ON THE ROSTER
Projected starters: Sam Hubbard, Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill, Trey Hendrickson
Reserves: Zach Carter, Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson, Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample
Others in the mix: Travis Bell, Justin Blazek, Domenique Davis, Jeff Gunter, Cedric Johnson, Devonnsha Maxwell, Jay Tufele
HENDRICKSON BY THE NUMBERS
2023 stats: 43 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 25 quarterback hits, 17.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three passes defended
PFF grades for 2023: Hendrickson ranked 20th of 112 edge players with a defense grade of 82.3, and he was sixth of 104 players in pass rush grade (90.7) and 95th of 112 edge players in run defense grade. He didn’t have enough snaps in coverage to be ranked in that category but posted a 47.5 coverage grade.
PFF ranking for 2024: Listed as the No. 9 edge rusher on PFF’s Top 32 list going into 2024, which is the same spot he was in going into 2023.
HILL BY THE NUMBERS
2023 stats: 51 tackles, two tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks in 17 games
PFF grades for 2023: Hill ranked 40th of 130 defensive tackles with a defense grade of 67.7, and he was 38th of 137 tackles in run defense grade (63.3), 54th of 109 players in pass rush grade (65.8) and second of 16 defensive tackles ranked in coverage grade (67.9).
PFF ranking for 2024: After being ranked 30th in PFF’s Top 32 interior defensive linemen list at this time last year, Hill is not among the top 32 going into this season.
HUBBARD BY THE NUMBERS
2023 stats: 58 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 15 regular-season games
PFF grades for 2023: Hubbard ranked 77th of 112 edge players with a defense grade of 61.9, and he was 64th of 112 edge players in run defense grade (61.1), 85th of 104 players in pass rush grade (57.5) and unranked in coverage grade (73.6) with not enough snaps to qualify.
PFF ranking for 2024: Hubbard is not among PFF’s Top 32 edge players this year. He was ranked 27th in PFF’s Top 32 going into last year.
RANKINS BY THE NUMBERS
2023 stats: 37 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery in 15 games
PFF grades for 2023: Ranked 51st of 130 defensive tackles with a defense grade of 62.7, and he was 121st of 137 tackles in run defense grade (39.1), 30th of 109 players in pass rush grade (74.7) and had a 69.1 coverage grade (unranked).
PFF ranking for 2024: Rankins is listed at No. 30 on the PFF Top 32 list for interior defensive linemen going into 2024.
FURTHER ANALYSIS
Cincinnati’s defensive line is ranked the 13th best going into 2024, according to Sam Monson’s breakdown for PFF.com, though it lost a top 10 tackle from last year with Reader’s departure to Detroit.
Last year, the Bengals’ four defensive line starters were all ranked individually by PFF, but both Hubbard and Hill dropped out of their respective position rankings. Rankins should be an upgrade to the interior pass rush, but the Bengals will be hoping he can get back to his pre-2020 run defense production. Cincinnati’s run defense will be an unknown until the two rookies have a chance to show what they can bring to the rotation.
Monson wrote: “Cincinnati’s defensive line lost D.J. Reader in the offseason and likely declined in quality in the aggregate following the additions of Sheldon Rankins and rookie Kris Jenkins Jr to replace him.
Trey Hendrickson is the most consistent force on this line. He notched 79 quarterback pressures last season while battling injury, but the team could really use another edge rusher who can offer a consistent threat on the other side.”
That’s where Myles Murphy could help out if he can make a big leap in Year 2 rotating with Hubbard, whose sack totals have declined each of the last two seasons.
Hendrickson was in the hunt for the sack title last year, but seems a bit underrated at just ninth among all edge rushers going into 2024. Even Trevor Sikkema noted in his individual edge rusher analysis that Hendrickson’s “consistency feels quite underrated.” The only players with more sacks than him over the past four years are T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett.
Regarding Rankins, Monson wrote that he “has high-level PFF grades in every facet of play at various points in his NFL career but has struggled to record them all at the same time.” His 11 missed tackles last year contributed to a below-average run defense grade. The Bengals will be hoping he can put it all together this year.
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