Jonah Williams enjoys first career snaps at right tackle

The Cincinnati Bengals did something they haven’t traditionally done under head coach Zac Taylor, and that is play just over half of their starters in the preseason. Everyone noticed the entire starting defense out there, but the lone offensive starter had a good reason for being out there as well.

Jonah Williams played his first snaps in a game at right tackle in his NFL career, and he was happy to have the opportunity.

“I was glad. I wanted to do it. Get my feet under me,” Williams told Geoff Hobson from Bengals.com. “I didn’t have to say anything (to the coaches). They beat me to it.”

The relationship between Williams and the coaches and front office has come quite a way since the former first-round selection demanded a trade earlier in the offseason. He was caught off guard by the team signing left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and his initial reaction was one of frustration.

Now he is happy to go into a preseason game to play right tackle so that his first time taking live snaps at the position isn’t trying to protect Joe Burrow in Week 1.

The Bengals took a similar approach when they played safety Daxton Hill in the first preseason game, as he will be taking on a more defined role as a proper safety this season after the departure of Jessie Bates.

We will have to see if this plan pays off early, as Williams will face off against some combination of Za’Darious Smith and Myles Garrett in Week 1. Talk about getting thrown right into the fire.