Bengals O-line under fire after Joe Burrow training camp hit: “We have to protect Nine”

On Wednesday, a scuffle broke out at the Cincinnati Bengals’ training camp that was sparked by first-round rookie Shemar Stewart. He was rushing during 11-on-11 drills, lost his footing, and fell into quarterback Joe Burrow, causing him to fall down on the turf.

The scuffle has caused a lot of backlash as the quarterback should be the player protected at all costs. Accidents like that cannot happen. Since then, the Bengals’ offensive line has taken accountability.

“Protecting Nine starts with me”

Following the heated scuffle, Bengals offensive lineman Lucas Patrick, who was at the center of the altercation, addressed both the fight and the team’s offensive line struggles. Patrick emphasized the need to “protect Nine”, referring to Burrow, and took accountability for the line’s performance.

“It has to start with me up front,” Patrick said. “I have to play better. Protect better. But I can’t let Nine get hit. We have to protect our quarterback. Got to have his back no matter what.”

Patrick also noted the importance of handling tensions professionally and clearing the air quickly. Center Ted Karras echoed the sentiment, pointing out that while rookies like Stewart need to be cautious around the franchise quarterback, the bigger issue is the continued poor play of the offensive line - a long-standing concern for Cincinnati as the season approaches.

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