Tag: Jackson Carman

The comeback tour for Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Jackson Carman appears to be on track.

After looking like a draft bust as a rookie for various reasons, Carman seized his opportunity last postseason with a strong showing in a playoff win over the Bills, getting an “unbelievable” remark from Joe Burrow in the process.

Carman followed that up in April by impressing onlookers with his reworked body.

Now? Carman says he’s spent the offseason re-comping his body with an emphasis on better balance, how he applies force through his feet, etc., via means such as yoga, gymnastics and getting in the water more.

It’s a fun interview, captured by Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media:

Jackson Carman says he is transforming his body ready to compete for Bengals starting right tackle pic.twitter.com/qStvfQK5K0

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 1, 2023

The Bengals tabbed Carman as an interior lineman early, then put him at left tackle in an emergency situation last postseason. Now he’ll compete at right tackle, where there’s a steep uphill climb.

At right tackle, Carman will compete with the not-traded Jonah Williams, the rehabbing La’el Collins and Cody Ford.

While Carman doesn’t project to win that starting job in Week 1, his versatility, experience and the makeover gives him an inside track at the final 53 as a primary backup, though if the makeover translates to another jump in play, he could be a training camp surprise — which would be a great problem for the Bengals to have this summer.

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It sounds like the upward swing for Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Jackson Carman could continue this summer.

After battling some early-career adversity, Carman found some emergency duty last year and filled in during the playoffs to positive results.

Now? Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media says Carman showed up Monday looking like he’s in even better shape:

Jackson Carman was in the locker room Monday, playing ping pong and looking significantly more slender. (conservatively 10-15 pounds lighter). The offensive lineman entering his third season after being picked in the second round of the 2021 draft looks as if he’s gotten the message about making the most of his opportunity.

Carman had conditioning issues his rookie year and lost out on a starting job against a rookie Cordell Volson at the start of last season. But the emergency work at tackle was encouraging, with brief flashes of why the team made him a second-round pick in 2021.

With Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle now, Carman is in the mix at right tackle, where La’el Collins continues to rehab and Jonah Williams submitted his trade request.

If nothing else, there has been a clear makeover for Carman, who sounds ready to seize a chance again if it arises.

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The Cincinnati Bengals don’t anticipate a first round pick at No. 28 overall being the answer at right tackle.

But both offensive line coach Frank Pollack and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan think Jackson Carman will be in the mix for the right tackle spot if La’el Collins isn’t ready for Week 1 next season.

Speaking at the scouting combine with reporters, Pollack said instant-starting right tackles don’t usually make it out of the top 10 and that Carman’s growth as a player has shown enough to put him in the competition on the right side.

“We’ve always felt like Jackson is capable,” Callahan said. “He’s grown up a ton. He’s done a lot of things better. We really felt good about what he put on tape against Buffalo. There are some things he can clean up technically and all that stuff. Not a complete player by any stretch but we really felt good about where he was at. I’m excited about his trajectory.”

These comments coincided with Callahan saying they won’t move Jonah Williams out of the left tackle position.

Realistically, this doesn’t change much about Cincinnati’s outlook. It was obvious Carman would be in the mix somewhere, but that’s not likely to stop the team from adding multiple offensive linemen via free agency and/or the draft.

Carman’s positive showing on short notice last year is simply an extra unanticipated bonus for the team as it tackles this offseason.

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Cincinnati Bengals guard Jackson Carman is one of the players facing the most pressure in 2022.

Carman, after all, struggled to get on the field for a variety of reasons as a second-round pick a year ago. He’s now also the only guy fighting for a starting job along the revamped line.

Friday during the third practice of training camp, offensive line coach Frank Pollack told reporters that they see a “night and day” difference in terms of Carman’s weight loss compared to last year, which served as a lesson of sorts, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway.

That’s good news for a Bengals team that needs that fifth and final spot to complete the proverbial puzzle that is the unit in front of Joe Burrow.

Carman still remains slotted in a direct competition with rookie Cordell Volson this summer, but Volson has been filling in at other spots due to injuries suffered by others — for now.

And while this is prime “coach speak” season, Pollack doesn’t usually partake, so it’s a nice step forward for Carman.

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The Cincinnati Bengals seemed to give 2021 second-round pick Jackson Carman a silent endorsement of sorts in free agency this offseason.

There, they addressed three of the four big needs along the offensive line, upgrading center, right guard and right tackle. That seemed to mean the job at left guard was Carman’s to win.

For that to happen though, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan says the team wants to see bigger things from him in Year 2, as captured by ESPN’s Ben Baby:

“He’s been doing the right things. He’s been taking care of himself the way he’s supposed to. I’m hoping for a really nice jump from his 1st year into his 2nd year.”

“I hope that he comes back and we see a different type of player than we did his first year — mature, better, stronger, all those things.”

Carman struggled to get on the field at all last year for one of the league’s worst offensive lines. Some of that stemmed from the coaches asking him to work on the right side, while the left side might be more natural for him. Teammates noted he needed help with weight issues when he showed up for training camp, too.

There’s still an outside chance the Bengals use an early pick on a rookie capable of starting at either center or left guard. Current new center Ted Karras can play either spot. That would leave Carman as a primary backup as a sohomore.

But based on the comments from Callahan, Carman’s already on the right path during the offseason after learning as a rookie. If so, a second-year leap while consistently starting could be what ends up happening.

Callahan, cont'd: "I hope that he comes back and we see a different type of player than we did his first year — mature, better, stronger, all those things."

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) April 19, 2022

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