That was an extremely efficient game from Mobley. If he gets quality touches he can absolutely make the most of them. I love that they kept him involved even in the second half, he can really be the difference maker especially with Allen not at 100 percent.
Again, not saying Rece Hinds is out of his slump or that he’s going to become something spectacular, but to my inexperienced eye his patience seems to be improving and he’s making much better contact.
Hopefully could be the start of a bit of a turnaround for him.
Murphy had 5.5 sacks in a much improved 2025.
Allen is a veteran who has shown flashes of great pass rush ability in the past, and who has 45.5 career sacks.
Mafe had a 13.2 % pressure rate last year which was higher than any Bengal pass rusher, so a solid upgrade.
And the cherry on top is Lawrence who had a 75.6 PFF defensive grade last year, ranking 9th among 134 qualified interior linemen. His ability to generate pressure as a defensive tackle and while double teamed is simply unmatched at his position.
This was a swing for the fences trade for the Bengals, and it’s a move a lot of us hoped for but virtually no one believed would actually happen. The Joe Burrow window to win won’t stay open forever and it is exciting to see the front office take some calculated risks to win now and improve a defense that desperately needed it.
Per Hunter Greene’s Instagram account, he has begun throwing just 37 days after arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. This is the first step in a lengthy process but it’s great to see his rehabilitation progress on schedule.
Link to Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories/therealhuntergreene/3876778253999058564?utm\_source=ig\_story\_item\_share&igsh=bXUyeXBuMDlqZ3pn
This is a true veteran’s mentality in a rookie, and just further shows how Stewart’s approach to the game has paid off.
I don’t think it’s too crazy to say that Sal has showed the front office everything they need to see to get long term contract talks underway.