After ending a decades-long playoff drought, the Bengals learned they will be without a key piece to their defense as they prepare for their Divisional Round matchup against the Tennessee Titans. Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi has been placed on injured reserve with a right foot injury, ending his season, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The news is a big blow to the Bengals, as Ogunjobi was having a very productive first season in Cincinnati. In 16 games, he recorded 49 total tackles and seven sacks.
After four seasons with the Browns, the 27-year-old signed a one year, $6.2M deal in March as part of a major defensive overhaul in the Queen City. The investment in Ogunjobi – along with the likes of Trey Hendrickson and Chidobe Awuzie – certainly paid off, as the Bengals won the AFC North for the first time since 2015.
The Bengals will be hard-pressed to replace Ogunjobi’s 68% snap share on defense. Look for D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill to take on an even bigger role. Josh Tupou could be an option to take on more snaps as well.
Regardless of who plays on the interior of the defensive line for the Bengals, they will be facing a stiff challenge on Saturday. Their opponent, the top-seeded Titans, are expected to have superstar running back Derrick Henry back for the game. The Bengals’ ability to contain Henry will be a huge factor in deciding if they can move on to their first AFC title game since 1988 – something that became much harder given Monday’s news.
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