With the Cincinnati Bengals missing Sam Hubbard due to an injury against the Cleveland Browns, one could have expected the team to rely on a former first-round pick more often.
Or apparently not.
With Hubbard out during the team’s win over the Browns, it was Joseph Ossai, not Myles Murphy, getting a big uptick in play.
Snap count tallies after the game said Ossai took 51 snaps (77 percent of the possible defensive snaps) to just 34 (52 percent) for Murphy. Trey Hendrickson played 52 snaps while rookie Cedric Johnson got six chances.
Ossai getting looks over Murphy continues to be notable. Coaches have praised his development and his previously major issues against the run seem to have improved — right on time as he’s set to be a free agent this offseason.
Perhaps the team will bring Ossai back, of course. But it’s also not getting a ton from Murphy yet, which could be the start of a concerning trend after the Bengals have yet to get much after mishandling fellow first-rounder Dax Hill, too.
There’s a reality where the Bengals keep Ossai and Murphy gets a big uptick in future years, should the team not be able to keep Hendrickson long-term. And a deep rotation is a necessity these days.
Even so, a first-rounder still not breaking into major snap counts in this scenario is worth a raise of the eyebrow, though whether it’s a player or coaching staff thing (or a mix) is hard to say.