Sam Hubbard has been an integral piece of the Cincinnati Bengals‘ defensive line since he was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Ohio State. He has also been a linchpin in the local community with a foundation in his name that exists to bring equitable access to food, education, and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians. The most popular of these programs is Hubbard’s Cupboard which goes into schools and supplements needs that arise in a given year.
Hubbard was playing through pain in 2023 and was hampered by an ankle injury that would eventually require surgery this offseason. Even with the injury, he was able to start 15 games and recorded 6.0 sacks with seven tackles for loss and 17 QB hits. The Bengals are banking on their star player returning to form in 2024.
Sam Hubbard Looks to Return to Form in 2024
Consistency is Key
The hallmark of any good player is consistent performance. This is possibly the most appropriate way to describe Hubbard. He’s just an all-around stable force that will give you 100 percent every snap. This is why Cincinnati was so enamored with him in the draft process as he’s been proving the front office right year after year. Hubbard has a relentless motor producing 36.5 quarterback sacks in six seasons. Against the run, he’s even better as an underrated chess piece for Lou Anarumo in the rugged AFC North. Look for the Bengals to monitor his workload in training camp to keep him fresh for Week 1 against the New England Patriots.
Help Wanted
Hubbard can take solace in the fact that he doesn’t need to feel pressure in returning from injury too quickly. The Bengals have invested heavily in the D-Line the last two seasons with their 2023 prized pick Myles Murphy showing immense potential in OTAs. In the 2024 NFL Draft, they also drafted two big-bodied DTs, Kris Jenkins from Michigan and McKinnley Jackson from Texas A&M. Lastly, let’s not forget that Hubbard’s bash brother, Trey Hendrickson will be focused like never before on wreaking havoc on opposing QBs after a slight disagreement over his remaining value while in stripes.
Fresh Start
Hubbard is looking for a clean slate when the pads come in a couple of weeks. His complete deltoid reconstruction and a TightRope procedure are new territory for him as he stated, “I’d want to burn the film of the back half of the year, I’ll get back to myself … This is actually the first surgery I’ve had in my long football career. I’ve been very blessed. I just didn’t want to leave my guys without me with a playoff pushing front of us. We got to a tough point with Joe going down. It was all hands on deck. I wanted to be a part of it.”
The Bengals are better off with a healthy Hubbard stopping the run and being a menace to opposing quarterbacks. Most importantly, they feed off his infectious energy that permeates the city on game day. It just so happens, the Cincinnati kid would have it no other way.
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