Joseph Ossai‘s first three years in the league have been defined by injuries. The former third-round pick is now fully healthy, and that couldn’t come at a better time for the impending free agent. While the Bengals defensive lineman’s expiring contract is naturally on his mind, Ossai is more focused on avoiding injuries ahead of the regular season.
“Perfect timing,” said of his current health (via Jay Morrison of ProFootballNetwork.com). “But nothing changes for me. My work ethic isn’t changing because it’s a contract year. No way. Yes, it does heighten things a little bit. I’ll admit that. But I’m not worried about it because my work ethic has never changed. It’s been the same since my freshman year in high school.”
Knee and wrist injuries forced Ossai to miss his entire rookie campaign. After delaying surgery, he got off to a slow start during his sophomore season. Just as he started finding his groove, the defensive end suffered a knee injury during the AFC Championship Game. It was a similar story in 2023. A shoulder injury slowed Ossai during OTAs, and a subsequent high ankle sprain limited him for much of last season.
After getting into 334 defensive snaps in 2022, Ossai was limited to only 177 defensive snaps in 2023. That led to a drop in counting stats; after finishing 2022 with 17 tackles, 10 QB hits, and 3.5 sacks, Ossai finished the 2023 campaign with only 10 tackles and one sack. With D.J. Reader no longer in Cincinnati, Ossai could be in line for a significant role behind Trey Hendrickson and Myles Murphy, and he believes his injury-free offseason will prepare him for a career year in 2024.
“[J]ust mentally, it’s been a world of difference,” Ossai said during OTAs. “Even though we’re not going full speed against each other, the individual drills are full speed. To go through that and not feel anything that’s putting doubt in your mind, that’s the biggest thing I would say.”