Orlando Brown Jr.'s struggles spotlighted in new OL rankings

Jan 7, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (75) reacts after the victory over the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

There's no question the Cincinnati Bengals have smartly updated the offensive line in front of Joe Burrow in recent years.

But everyone in the organization would likely agree that things can be even better, too.

A recent ranking of every offensive line in the NFL brought up this very point. While ranking Cincinnati's unit 21st, Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus spotlighted Orlando Brown Jr.:

The Bengals double-dipped at offensive tackle this offseason, signing Trent Brown in free agency and selecting Georgia's Amarius Mims in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. But the unit also needs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to get back to his old form. The former Chiefs and Ravens lineman earned a career-low 66.1 PFF grade in 2023 which ranked just 45th among offensive tackles.

Brown getting back to his expected level of play would be a boon for the line -- though his struggles weren't exactly unexpected, either.

After all, Brown came over to a new team and offense, then didn't get a lot of work with Joe Burrow when the starter suffered an injury in training camp. He repped with backups, got the starter back during the season, then lost the starter again on an offense that couldn't find an identity.

If Brown benefits from a steady group in 2024 and Trent Brown and/or Amarius Mims upgrade right tackle, the Bengals will shoot up these types of rankings.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Orlando Brown Jr.'s struggles spotlighted in new OL rankings