Bengals’ offensive linemen want to improve, but Jim Turner isn’t the answer

As if Bengals fans couldn’t be any angrier after losing Joe Burrow, now it has come out that the offensive line isn’t getting the necessary feedback it needs to improve.

Burrow was hit more than any rookie in his first ten games, leading to a gruesome injury. And sure the talent is lacking. But the offensive linemen on the roster do want to help protect their quarterback. It’s just, they have no one to show them how.

Sports Illustrated’s Elise Jesse dropped a stunning report on Tuesday, in which she revealed that some assistant coaches use abusive language. One of those coaches is - to no one’s surprise - Jim Turner.

On our show, Jesse told us that Turner also lacks communication skills, which is hindering the team’s progress. You can watch the entire interview below:

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When we asked her about Burrow’s injury, Jesse said, “I put a lot of that on the offensive line coaching and that’s because there are guys that are on that field that are simply trying to survive. Technique is not addressed in meetings. Accountability is not there. They want to protect Joe Burrow. They want to get better. They want to play at their height. But they’re not getting the coaching needed in order to do that and correct the mistakes... and practicing to make sure they understood the mistake they made...”

She added that players were “wary” of Turner when they first learned he’d be the new o-line coach. “When they saw that hire of Jim Turner, they instantly remembered his track record from Miami... When they saw the name ‘Jim Turner’ go across the board, they were instantly on high alert. When I asked for reactions [from players] back then, they were saying, ‘I hope that he proves his track record wrong’.”

Not that her story needs corroboration, as Jesse is the best investigative reporter of the team and an Emmy winner, but Billy Price ‘liked’ a tweet that suggested the Bengals need a new o-line coach. Price, of course, has yet to reach his potential, which is probably the result of not receiving the instruction he needed coming into the league.

Jesse’s report and her interview with us all point to the team moving on from some of their assistant coaches in the offseason, with Turner and Lou Anarumo being the most likely to go. While that could buy Taylor another year or two, he still needs to prove that he is qualified to lead an NFL team by surrounding himself with qualified assistants and managing his locker room.