Marvin Lewis is actually being critical of Cedric Ogbuehi

After being drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Cedric Ogbuehi was thrust into a starting role in 2016.

Despite having a year to prepare for the position, Ogbuehi struggled to stand up to the expectations of fans as a 21st-overall pick while at right tackle.

Marvin Lewis and the front office doubled down on Ogbuehi last offseason by letting fan and locker-room favorite Andrew Whitworth walk in free agency, as they expected Ogbuehi to take the spot on the left side of the line.

Instead, Ogbuehi struggled, and eventually contributed to the Bengals letting go of offensive line coach Paul Alexander.

But head coach Marvin Lewis has now stepped into the limelight by addressing Ogbuehi’s play, which isn’t something he usually does with starters.

Usually, Lewis stands behind his starters, but when it came to Ogbuehi, he did not mince words.

“Ced’s had two seasons, basically, and it’s just not been exactly where we need it to be,” Lewis told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “That’s held us back.”

The Bengals brought in offensive line coach Frank Pollack from the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, who will look to evaluate the talent on the offensive line and fix one of the Bengals weaker points heading into the offseason.

With a high draft pick on the board, lots of mock drafts have the Bengals taking a tackle with their first-round selection.

Will Ogbuehi continue to start next season, or will the Bengals look outside of the organization to find talent?

Let us know what you think in the comments.