Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Jackson Carman is reportedly on the verge of being cut. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Clemson product began his career as a guard. Appearing in all 17 games as a rookie while making six starts, Carman finished his inaugural season with an underwhelming 56.3 PFF grade. Carman then lost his starting job and spent the past two seasons serving as a do-everything backup. Despite playing guard as a rookie, Carman spent the past two seasons filling in at offensive tackle.
Seeing as Jackson Carman only played 12 snaps last year, nobody should be surprised that the Bengals could cut him. The veteran has not played up to his draft capital, and Cincinnati can save $1.67 million in cap space by releasing him. Even though this is likely the end of his time in Cincinnati, he’ll probably earn land on someone else’s practice squad. There aren’t enough good offensive linemen to go around, and a team like the Baltimore Ravens or New Orleans Saints could take a shot on the veteran.
Ravens, Saints Should Be Interested If Bengals Cut Jackson Carman
The 2023 Baltimore Ravens were the most talented team in the league. Blessed with elite talent and no real weaknesses, the team made it to the AFC Championship Game before narrowly falling to the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately for Baltimore, the team lost several key free agents in the offseason and lacked the resources to find adequate replacements at every position. The Ravens will need to try and find some diamonds in the rough if they want to finally make it over the hump, and Jackson Carman could be a decent dart throw if the Bengals cut him.
Baltimore traded right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets and watched starting guard John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler depart for greener pastures in free agency. Second-round pick Roger Rosengarten should win the right tackle job, but the guard position could still use some help. Jackson Carman might not be a superstar, but the cut candidate could compete with Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees for snaps. If nothing else, his history at tackle makes him an ideal backup in case Rosengarten needs time to adjust to the NFL.
All the Help The Saints Can Get
The Saints are in a precarious situation. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, New Orleans must earn a spot in the postseason if head coach Dennis Allen hopes to keep his job. Derek Carr is good enough to lead a strong roster to January football, but the quarterback is not good enough to singlehandedly carry a flawed team. Carr is one of the worst in the league against pressure, and the Saints have one of the worst offensive lines in football. This combination could singlehandedly sink the season, but Jackson Carman could help if the Bengals cut him.
The Saints guard duo of Nick Saldiveri and Cesar Ruiz is one of the worst in football, and the former second-round pick should compete for snaps right out of the gate. Even if the cut candidate can’t win that job, Jackson Carman should make the roster as an emergency tackle. 2024 first-round pick Taliese Fuaga is an untested rookie, Rya Ramczyk is coming back from a potentially career-ending injury, and 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning has yet to prove he belongs in the NFL.
Main Photo: Denny Medley – USA Today Sports
