Duke Tobin on Jackson Carman: 'He's Gotta Get Himself in Peak Shape'

When the Bengals selected Jackson Carman in the second-round (46th overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, they thought he was going to compete and potentially win a starting job right away. 

"He's gonna come in and compete for a starting job," offensive line coach Frank Pollack said on draft night. 

Things haven't gone as planned. Carman is listed as the third-string right guard on the Bengals' first official depth chart. 

Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin discussed the state of the team with Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham on Tuesday morning. He thinks Carman needs to get in better shape, but believes he could play his way into a starting job over the next few weeks.

^{"We'll see how he plays this preseason. He's going to get a lot of work," Tobin said. "He's gotta get himself in peak shape, which I think he's working his way into that. What we see are the traits that we like in him. He's big, he's powerful, he's athletic, he can move people when he comes off and he's still learning the nuances of playing inside."}