Impressive Cordell Volson gets first-team reps with Jackson Carman sidelined

The Bengals have learned over the past few seasons, especially on the defensive line, that depth matters. This year, it could be a similar tale, and the goal is to have confidence in their backups in case they need to take over

One of the players that Cincinnati should have high hopes for is fourth-round pick Cordell Volson.

Volson was drafted out of North Dakota State and is already 24 years old. He played very well in the team’s preseason opener, a 36-23 loss to the Cardinals, and has since earned first-team reps in practice.

Per the Bengals’ radio voice, Dan Hoard, Volson, who received a 74.8 Pro Football Focus score in Cincinnati’s Week 1 matchup, has been getting reps with the starters, clearly showing the upside the coaching staff desires.

“I’m never satisfied and always trying to find a way to get better.” Volson said via Hoard.

Volson did play well against Arizona, but he received the reps because of Jackson Carman’s injury. The 2021 second-round pick is still expected to be the starting left guard despite injuries and relatively lousy preseason showing.

While he may not be expected to start the season, Volson was a stud in college and could be a huge asset for Cincinnati’s line. He spent six seasons at NDSU, redshirting back in 2016. Volson has experience at both guard and tackles positions.

With Carman the only real questionable starting lineman as the Bengals signed three of the five starters in free agency, if Volson is able to nab a starting spot without an injury impact, it would be at left guard.

For now, that remains unlikely. However, hearing of his success and also seeing it in action during the preseason opener can only bode well moving forward for Cincinnati.