Will Sheldon Rankins and B.J. Hill play for the Bengals against the Panthers? Defensive line injury status

The Bengals are determined to avoid a winless 0-4 start for the first time since 2019. This difficult beginning ultimately led to the drafting of quarterback Joe Burrow, a decision that transformed the franchise.

How might the numerous injuries in the Bengals’ defensive line affect their game against the Panthers?

Burrow is not the reason for the Bengals’ current struggles. He had a strong performance, throwing for over 320 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions, and posting a passer rating of over 125. His connection with wide receiver Jamar Chase remains solid, with Chase tallying 118 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets in their recent loss. Burrow also distributed the ball to five other receivers, with each catching passes in the 20 to 55-yard range. He was sacked just twice on 39 pass attempts, a stat Cincinnati can live with.

The Bengals’ ground game also showed up, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and over 120 total rushing yards against Washington. Despite their offensive success, the Bengals still suffered a 33-38 loss. The problem lies on the other side of the ball—the defense.

Cincinnati’s pass defense struggled mightily last week, allowing Washington quarterback Jaden Daniels to throw for over 250 yards with 2 touchdowns and a passer rating of 140.5. Now, that same Bengals secondary faces an even more formidable challenge against a Panthers offense that just scored 36 points, driven by veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. On the outside, Trey Hendrickson is playing his way toward a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection, while Sam Hubbard is still struggling to find his pace after offseason ankle surgery and a hamstring issue in training camp.

The Bengals are also facing challenges with their starting defensive tackles, Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill, both of whom suffered hamstring injuries in Week 2 and missed the game against Washington. As the team prepares for a crucial away game against the Carolina Panthers,

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor provided an update on the status of the two players. Unfortunately, neither Hill nor Rankins participated in practice at all. As a result, the Bengals will have to rely on unproven backups Zach Carter, Jay Tufele, and rookie Kris Jenkins, who was making his NFL debut, along with Lawrence Guy, who was signed just six days before the game.

Despite holding Washington’s running backs to 68 yards on 19 attempts, the Bengals’ pass rush outside of Hendrickson was lacking. The defensive line struggled to generate pressure, and rookie Jayden Daniels exploited this weakness, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

BJ Hill has been a key pass rusher for the Bengals since joining the team in 2021, recording 13 sacks over the last three years.