Cincinnati Bengals: What We've Learned Through Week 2 of Preseason

With the clock on the team's time to prepare for next season continuing to tick, the Cincinnati Bengals have shown the rust and positives most franchises do by mid-August. 

Coach Marvin Lewis and the team don't take the field this weekend and have a short rest period between games Nos. 2 and 3 of the preseason, but through one game and a wealth of practices, high and low marks aren't hard to find.

For a team that is looking to make the postseason yet again and continues to draw rave reviews on its deep classes, the Bengals appear to be in a good spot. The good outweighs the bad and justifies the cautious hype, so let's review the lessons learned through the first few weeks of the preseason.

The Offense Runs Through Tyler Eifert

John Minchillo/Associated Press

So far this preseason, Tyler Eifert has shown just why the Bengals spent a first-round pick on him in 2013.

Really, he's also shown why he appeared to be the focal point of the passing game in the first game of last season before suffering the season-ending injury.

Every day the Bengals have practice, a headline about Eifert isn't far behind. He's doing it all, whether it's underneath work, deep work or simple red-zone looks. In the team's first exhibition game against the New York Giants, he caught a pair of passes for 30 yards, both of which fetched the team first downs.

It might sound silly to say Eifert is more important than A.J. Green, but in the confines of coordinator Hue Jackson's offense, he might be. The globe saw how much the offense struggled without Eifert last year and just how much smoother things look now.

If Eifert can stay healthy, he might wind up leading the team in targets and more this season.

Concerns at Center Are Real

Uncredited/Associated Press

It wasn't a secret Cincinnati rookie center Russell Bodine struggled last year on an otherwise good offensive line.

Over at Pro Football Focus, he ranked as the 33rd center in the league on a list grading 41 players.

While the above may sound a bit harsh, the thought always seemed to be Bodine would grow into this role after the team traded up to draft him. So far this offseason, though, Bodine has been a source of frustration as opposed to progress.

Snap issues seem to be the culprit, as Richard Skinner of Local 12 News in Cincinnati captured on Twitter: "After hot snap from Russell Bodine past Andy Dalton he is replaced at center by T.J. Johnson."

There's time for Bodine to turn things around, but it's clear the Bengals won't hesitate to make a change in the trenches. It applies to any position, but the one most under the microscope right now is center.

The Defensive Line Is Back...

David Richard/Associated Press

In a rather shocking turn of events, the defensive line wasn't much of a strength last year for the Bengals.

Injuries were to blame, with Margus Hunt struggling and Geno Atkins sluggish. It's clear the coaching staff won't take the same wait-and-see approach, though, not after adding tackle Pat Sims and end Michael Johnson in free agency.

Johnson hasn't shown much thanks to injury, but it's clear Sims is a major boost to the run defense in the middle of the unit. If his solid play continues, he might force the team to make a change next to Atkins.

The outside looks good, too. Hunt and Carlos Dunlap aren't going anywhere, and project Will Clarke made a few splash plays. Sprinkle Johnson back into the mix, and last year continues to look more and more like an anomaly for the unit.

...So Are the Wideouts

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Cincinnati attacked wideout in an aggressive manner this offseason as well, and it, too, is already paying off on the field.

Free-agent add Denarius Moore proved he can be a reliable deep threat in the offense with one grab for 30 yards in the team's preseason opener. Seventh-round rookie Mario Alford made a nice catch and ran a solid bubble screen, proving he can create the separation the offense missed last year.

Keep in mind that Marvin Jones is back and already running as a starter, per Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer: "For second straight 11-on-11 Marvin Jones running with the first team on outside. [Mohamed] Sanu enters in slot at three-wide. First time this year."

Need-based acquisitions and health can work wonders for any positional group. Wide receiver, at least so far this summer, stands as proof in Cincinnati.

The Front Office Hit on Another Deep Draft Class

Reviews on Cincinnati's 2015 draft class were positive, if not just for the first two picks and the way the coaching staff was brave enough to shore up the line with two offensive tackles. 

With practices and an exhibition out of the way, it's clear the 2015 class is anything but top-heavy. The aforementioned Alford looks like he can contribute in multiple units. Sixth-round pick Derron Smith, a safety out of Fresno State, continues to impress by creating turnovers.

Fourth-round pick and defensive lineman Marcus Hardison looks good in a backup role. Fellow fourth-rounder Josh Shaw already looks comfortable as a versatile pro defensive back. Third-round pick Paul Dawson continues to use his elite football instincts to make plays.

The only negative to what looks like another strong class? Lewis and Co. won't have an easy time on cut day.

But that's the goal. The more difficult rookies make a cut day, the better.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of August 20. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.