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The Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC Championship for the 2021 NFL season, advancing to the Super Bowl. Here's where they were eventually defeated by the Los Angeles Rams. Such a successful season requires great effort from the majority of the roster, but some players still struggle. Here are five Bengals players who were underwhelming during the 2021 NFL season.
Underwhelming Cincinnati Bengals players in the 2021 NFL season
#1 - CB Trae Waynes
Trae Waynes probably had the most disappointing season of any player on the Bengals 2021 roster. He earned 15.8 million dollars in salary, the highest on the team, but was only able to appear in five games. He has recorded just twelve total tackles and defended one pass this season.
#2 - C Trey Hopkins
Trey Hopkins is one of the lowest graded centers from the entire 2021 NFL season, receiving a PFF grade ranked 31st among all centers. He also received the 7th highest salary among all Bengals players. He is one of the reasons why the Bengals' offensive line is their biggest weakness.
Disappointing Cincinnati Bengals players in the 2021 NFL season
Here are five players from the Bengals who performed below their expectations in the 2021 NFL season.
#3 - CB Eli Apple
Eli Apple has been making headlines for all of his trash talk on social media, especially during the 2021 NFL Playoffs. Unfortunately, his statistics haven't exactly matched his big talk. He has recorded just two interceptions in the entire season and hasn't picked off a pass since November of the regular season. He also gave up the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.
#4 - OG Jackson Carman
The Bengals selected rookie Jackson Carman in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He proceeded to show up to training camp out of shape He earned more snaps towards the end of the year, but the Bengals are hoping for more consistency and commitment from Carman next year.
#5 - OL Hakeem Adeniji
There's a trend here, with three offensive linemen making this list for the Bengals. Joe Burrow was the most pressured and most sacked quarterback in the NFL this season. Hakeem Adeniji has allowed 23 pressures and three sacks despite playing in just nine games this year.
