Tag: Alex Cappa

Bengals starter in concussion protocol before Week 16 vs. Browns

The Bengals could be down a key piece during the game against the Browns.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a few injuries of note going into the Week 16 game against the Cleveland Browns as they hope to keep slim playoff chances alive.

One of the biggest, though, is Bengals head coach Zac Taylor revealing that starting guard Alex Cappa has entered the concussion protocol.

That’s a brutal development for the offensive line, considering the team is already down to its third-string left tackle with Orlando Brown Jr. injured and Cody Ford battling the flu.

The Bengals would need to get creative if Cappa can’t get cleared, either sliding Andrew Stueber around or perhaps putting Cordell Volson over on the right side.

It’s a bad place for the Bengals to be before they take on a pass-rush led by Myles Garrett.

Before the injury, Cappa had been an extreme disappointment, hence the 51.7 PFF grade (44.4 grade in pass blocking). Ted Karras has also underperformed at center, and Volson was benched from the left guard job.

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Ravens vs. Bengals: Top photos from Baltimore’s 41-38 win in overtime at Paycor Stadium

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paycor Stadium in Week 5

Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Jackson fumble but could not win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Joe Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

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Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

After a week of pundits and experts questioning Joe Burrow’s demise, the former LSU star put the NFL back on notice with a dominant, five-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium.

Still, it wasn’t enough, as Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Lamar Jackosn fumble but were unable to win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

Baltimore used a big Derrick Henry run to get into field goal position, and Justin Tucker’s 24 field goals gave the Ravens their third straight win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores against a Ravens secondary full of first-round picks and high-paid defenders.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

After a slow start, Derrick Henry finished things with a bang, rushing for 91 yards on 15 carries, with one rushing touchdown.

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Alex Cappa impressed by Bengals rookie Amarius Mims

Amarius Mims is turning heads.

Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Amarius Mims, the 6’8″, 340-pound tackle repping with the first team, has already made an impression.

Just ask veteran guard Alex Cappa, who already has high praise for the rookie he’s been lining up next to this week.

“He’s got a good attitude. He’s also a physical freak. That’s always good,” Cappa said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Whatever I know, I’ll pass it on to him. He’ll develop over time. He’s got a lot to learn, but once he gets everything good mentally, then physically it will come together for sure.”

Granted, Mims has repped with the first team because new arrival Trent Brown isn’t there, but it’s hard for all involved to complain — those reps next to Cappa and others could play a big role in his development.

Given the length of the season and Trent Brown’s injury past, while the Bengals didn’t draft Mims to start right away, it’s not unreasonable to suggest he will at some point in Year 1.

Based on what guys like Cappa have to say on the topic, he’s certainly headed in the right direction.

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Bengals’ Alex Cappa had monster two-game stretch before bye

Bengals guard Alex Cappa put on a show over his last two games.

As expected, it has taken a little while for the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line to come around this season.

Right guard Alex Cappa might be the best possible example of this so far.

Cappa and the interior of the offensive line dramatically struggled over the first two weeks of the season, as can somewhat be expected when the first two games after limited summer snaps came against Myles Garrett and the Browns and then the vast array of talent on the Ravens defensive line.

But Cappa’s Pro Football Focus grades over the last two games against the Cardinals and Browns — both wins — say it all:

Everything sort of works in concert here, as Joe Burrow’s improved mobility over the last two games certainly plays a part in the line having a better time, too.

Still, Cappa is once again back to being a highlight of the line after coming over as one of the big-money acquisitions two offseasons ago.

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Logan Wilson, Alex Cappa miss Bengals’ joint practice vs. Packers

Injury updates as the Bengals practice against the Packers.

Two key Cincinnati Bengals players didn’t suit up for Wednesday’s joint practice against the Green Bay Packers.

One was expected, with right guard Alex Cappa dealing with what coaches have described as a lower-body issue, possibly a strain.

The other was a surprise — linebacker Logan Wilson, who just signed his big extension with the team, wasn’t dressed for the sessions against the Packers.

No word yet on Wilson, though it’s interesting to note that other players the team had been going cautiously with — such as cornerback Chidobe Awuzie — were at least suited up.

We’ll update with more when word on Wilson goes public, but for now, it seems like the standard cautious approach during the rigors of a long summer before Week 1.

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Bengals OL Alex Cappa dealing with strain at training camp

Brief injury news on Bengals guard Alex Cappa.

In minor Cincinnati Bengals news as the rigors of a sweltering training camp continue, starting right guard Alex Cappa has an issue that has caused him to be held out for precautionary reasons.

According to offensive line coach Frank Pollack, the veteran is dealing with a strain.

“Maybe a little strain, that’s all,” Pollack said, according to CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia. “I’ll let the head coach and trainer dig in more there, just a precautionary deal. No big deal.”

In the interim, Trey Hill got some reps at right guard. Backups such as Hill and Max Scharping have been repping at their normal spots and otherwise as the competition for backup roles on the final 53 continues.

This sort of precautionary stance on Cappa is pretty similar to what the team just did with defensive end Trey Hendrickson too. While minor, it’s something to keep an eye on as training camp progresses.

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Brian Callahan believes in strongest Bengals offensive line he’s seen yet

Bengals coordinator Brian Callahan says the 2023 offensive line is the best yet.

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The Cincinnati Bengals offensive line has been one of their weakest points offensively since Joe Burrow was drafted, even surrending 41 sacks last season, which was in the bottom ten of the NFL.

On the Locked on Bengals podcast, Brian Callahan, the Bengals offensive coordinator, said he thinks the line they have put together is the best one he has seen since he’s been with the team.

“I think it’s safe to say it’s the best group from top to bottom that we’ve had in our time here,” Callahan said. “I just feel really good about the direction we’re headed, the players we’ve added and the players we have.”

Orlando Brown Jr. left the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in free agency to join the Bengals and strengthen the left side of the line, and Jonah Williams is moving to right tackle after requesting a trade when Brown signed.

Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, and Alex Cappa return as starters on the inside of the line giving them what Callahan believes will be a very strong group to protect Burrow.

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Bengals’ Alex Cappa featured in PFF’s best guard rankings

Bengals G Alex Cappa gets some love in new rankings.

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It’s a sign of the times for the Cincinnati Bengals — new offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was recently ranked as one of the top players at his position.

Now it’s a similar story with guard Alex Cappa, who checks in as the 18th overall guard in the NFL in rankings compiled by Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness:

A big part of the Bengals’ ongoing offensive line rebuild, Cappa produced a career-high 71.4 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2022. At 28 years old, he’s probably not vaulting himself into the upper echelon of guards in the NFL at this stage of his career but is a more-than-capable starter.

Before anyone scoffs at that 18th ranking being something worth highlighting, it wasn’t too long ago Bengals guards managed to rank outside the 40th slot, if not worse.

In fact, we could make the argument that Cappa was the best lineman for the Bengals last year outright. That he’s returning and should play at a similar level is a good thing considering Brown at left tackle, Cordell Volson blossoming at left guard, Ted Karras at center and Jonah Williams at right tackle.

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Bengals G Alex Cappa says he’s ‘as healthy as I’ve ever been’

Good news on the Alex Cappa injury front for the Bengals, to say the least.

How about an Alex Cappa update for Cincinnati Bengals fans before the 2023 NFL draft?

Cappa, who went down late last season with an ankle injury and was nearing a return around the AFC title game, told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com that he’s well on his way, if not better than ever:

Cappa, who could have played in the Super Bowl, sounds like he’s going to be bouncing around this spring.

“It’s as healthy as I’ve ever been,” Cappa said. “Say that.”

We knew back in February that Cappa could have played in the Super Bowl had the Bengals made it for a second postseason in a row.

Still, it’s nice to hear a minor update on the guy who was probably the team’s best starting lineman last year. He’ll have some competition for that role with the arrival of Orlando Brown Jr. to play left tackle, but the good news is he’ll get to play right away in spring ball since the injury wasn’t worse.

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