After Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Cordell Volson left practice with an injury on Friday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor provided an update to the media. Per Ben Baby, Volson suffered a shoulder injury and there is currently no timeline for his return. He won’t play in Monday night’s preseason game against the Washington Commanders, and beyond that his status is unknown.
It’s a blow to a Cincinnati offensive line in need of both depth and starting-caliber talent, particularly on the interior. Volson was in the middle of a camp battle for a role, but this injury news is a blow to his chances, and even his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Cordell Volson Could Be Buried on Bengals’ Depth Chart?
Dylan Buell/GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 12: DeAndre Houston-Carson #30 of the Houston Texans is tackled by Cordell Volson #67 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Four starters on the Bengals’ line are set. Orlando Brown Jr. will reprise his role at left tackle, Ted Karras is a quality starting center, and second-year man Amarius Mims is the undisputed guy at right tackle. Third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild is in the midst of a great camp and has settled into the starting left guard job.
The question is at right guard, where there have been two main competitors. Cody Ford spent years as a backup and spot starter in Cincinnati, while Lucas Patrick is the main free-agent addition along the offensive line. Patrick has taken the majority of the snaps with the starters, while Ford has mixed in from time to time as well.
The odd man out appears to be Volson, who seems to have settled in as Fairchild’s backup. Entering camp, he was in a competition with Patrick, Ford, and Fairchild for one of the starting guard spots. But he’s the only one of the four who hasn’t gotten to run with the 1s in recent practices. Based on that, Volson would appear to be fourth in the pecking order, locked into a backup job. It’s possible that if he’s forced to miss significant time, other backup guards on the roster such as Jaxson Kirkland and Andrew Stueber could surpass him on the depth chart, potentially threatening his roster spot.
Cordell Volson Struggled in Starting Roles in Previous Seasons
A tackle in college at North Dakota State, the Bengals moved Volson to guard as soon as he entered the league in 2022. Thrust into the starting lineup as a rookie, he’s been a consistent starter ever since, playing left and right guard at times.
Volson ranked 51st among qualifying guards according to PFF last season with a 59.1 overall grade. That’s equivalent to a low-level starter, but the Bengals wanted to provide more competition at the position, which they did by signing Patrick and drafting Fairchild. Part of the reason for this might be Volson’s struggles in pass protection — he had just a 48.8 pass blocking grade, which ranked 67th. In Cincy’s high-volume passing offense helmed by Joe Burrow, pass protection is at a premium.
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