The Bengals Are Suddenly Changing Their Plan For Jalen Rivers...

The Cincinnati Bengals just made a surprising change to their offensive line, and what they're doing with Jalen Rivers could reveal a much bigger concern about the team's depth behind starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. John Sheeran breaks down why Rivers has suddenly returned to left tackle after spending much of the offseason and training camp working inside at guard — and what the move says about Cincinnati's options behind its starting offensive line. The Bengals entered the 2026 offseason with Cody Ford as their most experienced backup offensive tackle. Cincinnati didn't make a major free-agent addition at the position, and while rookie Brian Parker II played tackle at Duke, the Bengals have primarily developed him along the interior. Then Cincinnati played its first preseason game. Since the Bengals' preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, Rivers has been taking second-team reps at left tackle while Ford has shifted back inside. That's notable because Rivers appeared to have settled into an interior role after struggling at tackle early in his NFL development. John explains why the Bengals' actions now matter much more than what they said months ago. Rivers entered the NFL with experience at both tackle and guard from his college career at Miami. Cincinnati initially tried him on the edge before moving him inside, where he eventually received regular-season opportunities at guard. Now the Bengals are revisiting the possibility that Rivers can provide the swing-tackle depth they still need behind Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims. Could a year of NFL experience make the difference? That's one of the biggest questions Cincinnati needs answered during Thursday's joint practice against the Chicago Bears. Brown also enters the practice with something to prove after a difficult showing in limited action against Detroit. John explains why matchups against Chicago's edge defenders should provide a valuable test for both Cincinnati's starting left tackle and the players competing behind him. The larger concern is roster construction. If the Bengals aren't comfortable with Ford as their primary backup tackle and Rivers ultimately proves better suited to guard, Cincinnati doesn't have an obvious answer waiting behind its starters. And finding a quality offensive tackle after final roster cuts isn't easy. That's why Rivers' move back to tackle matters so much. John Sheeran breaks down what changed, why the Bengals are giving Rivers another opportunity on the edge, what it means for Cody Ford and why Thursday's Bengals-Bears joint practice could provide Cincinnati with much-needed clarity. Subscribe to A to Z Sports Cincinnati for Bengals news, analysis, training camp coverage, roster breakdowns and reaction throughout the 2026 NFL season. 0:00 Bengals prepare for a huge joint practice 1:25 Why Thursday matters so much 1:52 Orlando Brown Jr. has something to prove 3:27 Is Brown the offensive line's weak link? 4:03 Bengals have a backup tackle problem 4:49 Jalen Rivers makes a surprising move 5:10 Why the Bengals changed their plan 6:19 What happened to Cody Ford? 6:56 The move reveals a bigger Bengals problem 7:55 Can Rivers actually play tackle? 8:50 Rivers may be Cincinnati's best option #Bengals #CincinnatiBengals #WhoDey #NFL Play A to Z Sports Daily Games: https://atozsports.com/games For more Bengals coverage: https://atozsports.com/nfl/cincinnati-bengals-news/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BengalsFans4Life Twitter/X: https://x.com/AtoZSportsNFL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atozsportsbengals/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atozsportsbengals #CincinnatiBengals #Bengals #BengalsFootball #WhoDey #NFL #NFLFootball