After the Bengals signed Orlando Brown to be their left tackle moving forward, the club’s previous left tackle, Jonah Williams, reportedly requested a trade.
To this point, the Bengals have shown no intention of honoring that request. Head coach Zac Taylor has said that Williams is slated to compete at right tackle and earlier this week declined to elaborate on what his conversations have been with the offensive lineman.
On Thursday, Cincinnati director of player personnel Duke Tobin also did not say much about Williams and his future with the franchise.
“I don’t have any updates on Jonah,” Tobin said in his press conference. “He’s a member of our team. He’s a valuable member of our team. If that changes, you guys will be the first to know. But right now that hasn’t changed.”
The Bengals had reportedly heard from “several possible suitors” about Williams in March.
The 11th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Williams didn’t play in his rookie year due to a shoulder injury. But he’s started 42 games over the last three seasons.
The Bengals picked up his fifth-year option last spring.
While Williams helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC Championship game in 2022, Cincinnati clearly felt like it could upgrade at left tackle by signing Brown. That may affect the kind of compensation Williams will end up fetching in any trade.
