As the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for their second preseason matchup of 2025, several of the position battles are starting to look clear, based on the Week 2 depth chart.
One has been at the left guard spot, where rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild appears to have a firm grip on the job after making his NFL preseason debut against the Philadelphia Eagles on August 7.
Fairchild stood out among the Bengals’ other offensive linemen. He was physical in the run game and composed against the pass rush.
He’s also sticking to his initial draft night promise of keeping Joe Burrow protected.
Graded Atop The List of Rookies in Preseason Week 1
According to Pro Football Focus, Fairchild finished third in overall offensive grade (89.5), fifth in run blocking (84.9), and seventh in pass blocking (81.2). For a player who entered training camp with an open competition ahead of him, those numbers are a strong early statement.
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher raved about the rookie’s preseason Week 1 performance earlier this week.
“Dylan played really well,” Pitcher said. “I was pleased. He played physical, he was aggressive .. He was assignment-sound and technically-sound and he played well. But it’s a 15-play sample. Obviously it’s for the world to see, so you want your 15 plays to be good, and they were.”
At 6-foot-5, 318 pounds, the former Georgia Bulldog brings a combination of SEC grit and athleticism. He appeared in 34 collegiate games, including back-to-back national championship seasons in 2021 and 2022. With that resume, it’s no surprise he’s fitting out well at the next level.
Pressure Remains High at Bengals’ Problem O-Line Position
The left guard spot has been a revolving door for the Bengals in recent years. Between veteran stopgaps and shuffled backups, consistency has been hard to find. And while Fairchild looks to be the long-term solution, the grind cannot stop here.
“Every day has got to be that,” Pitcher said. “He’s still going through that process of ‘how do I play to our standard all of the time’ and he’s going to get there, we know he will. He’s got the right people around to help him”
Veteran guard Cordell Volson is still competing for the starting role behind Fairchild, as well as Jaxson Kirkland.
That said, Fairchild looked like a true fit next to veteran starters in left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and center Ted Karras.
The Bengals open up the regular season on September 7 against the Cleveland Browns, and Fairchild could soon prove to be one of the most impactful, and feared rookie starters in the AFC North.
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