Bengals' offensive line ranked 8th by Pro Football Focus
The Cincinnati Bengals was once again rated among the top 10 offensive lines in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.
The advanced analytics site ranked Andrew Whitworth and company as the eight-best line, one spot lower than their 2014 finish. The unit was ranked eighth-best against the pass and ninth against the run. Penalties resulted in the line's biggest blemish, coming in at 23rd.
Here is the full analysis via Pro Football Focus:
Stud: One of the premier left tackles in the league, Andrew Whitworth had another exceptional year. It’s what he does.
Dud: The team would have hoped Russell Bodine took a step forward in year two, but it never really materialized with his play spotty, at best.
Summary: Strong at guard and left tackle, the team was only let down by the inconsistencies of Bodine and the poor performance of Andre Smith, who may have played his way out of town, given the Bengals’ top two picks in the 2015 draft. Still, this is the usual top 10 finish for Paul Alexander’s unit.
After two years together as starters, the line is likely headed for some change ahead. Free agent tight tackle Andre Smith seems bound for a new team after the Bengals used their top two draft picks on offensive tackles last year. Whitworth, who signed a one-year contract extension during the season, turned 34 last month.
The Cowboys topped the list for the second straight year. As for Cincinnati's divisional rivals, the Browns came in at No. 5, while the Steelers and Ravens were 10th and 13th, respectively.