Offensive Line
2002 first-round draft pick Levi Jones is a powerful run blocker who has the athleticism to protect Palmer's blind side and the potential to emerge as one of the best in the league this year. Veteran Willie Anderson will start on the right side. He is a dominant run blocker and his pass-blocking skills have improved over the years, but he still has problems with some of the league’s top edge rushers.
The Bengals have another experienced leader at center in Rich Braham. His skills are on the decline, but he is still effective in the running game and makes all the line calls. Flanking him on the right side this season is Bobby Williams, who is a solid run blocker but inconsistent in pass protection. Starting left guard Eric Steinbach had a fantastic rookie season. He lacks the bulk you normally associate with a starting guard in the NFL, but he has terrific athletic ability and a great initial burst.
The Bengals starting offensive line should be very effective if they stay healthy, but depth is a bit of a concern. They do have some potential in guys like Scott Kooistra and Stacy Andrews, but they are very inexperienced, which could be a problem if one of the starters go down for a significant period of time.
Defensive Line
The defensive line struggled to hold up against the run last year, and with starting tackles John Thornton and Tony Williams returning, it could be much of the same this season. Thornton is a solid all-around player, but he lacks the size to take on double teams. Williams is a good one-gap player as well, but should be rotating with Thornton, not lining up next to him. Langston Moore will also see time in the rotation, but would struggle if forced into a starting role. Fourth-round rookie Matthias Askew was added to the roster, but the Bengals still lack bulk and talent in the middle and depth is a serious concern.
Cincinnati’s weakness in the middle of the line will mean right defensive end Justin Smith will continue to see a lot of double teams. Smith has yet to truly flash his potential because he is the focal point on the line for the opposition. He’s quick off the line, has a nice closing burst, and he seems to get better every year. Duane Clemons will line up opposite Smith, and while he is solid against the run when he is fresh, he does not offer much in the way of a consistent pass rush and he wears down as the game goes on. Veteran Carl Powell will rotate with Clemons on the right side and either Elton Patterson or rookie Robert Geathers will come in as a situational pass rusher.
Linebackers
The Bengals added some speed to their linebacking corps with the addition of Nate Webster, and although he has good athleticism, it is yet to be seen what he can do in a starting role. Bringing in Webster allows Cincinnati to move Kevin Hardy, who is on the down side of his career, to the strong side where he should be able to give the team a couple more good seasons. Brian Simmons will start on the weak side where coaches believe he will perform better with a full year’s experience on the outside. His inexperience at the position last year seemed to take away some of his aggressiveness, but he has looked a little less tentative in the preseason this year.
Depth behind this starting unit will be provided by some very young, inexperienced players. Backup middle linebacker Caleb Miller is a rookie and second-year player Khalid Abdullah is backing up the weak side. This is another unit that lacks depth and cannot afford significant injuries.
