After a slow start, Bengals left guard Cordell Volson is hitting his stride

When Cincinnati Bengals left guard Cordell Volson looked like a weak spot on the offensive line during the first half of the season, head coach Zac Taylor often provided a reminder of who Volson was matching up against.

He blocked two perennial All-Pro defensive tackles in Aaron Donald and Jeffery Simmons. He faced a Cleveland Browns team that has the best defensive line in football and a Baltimore Ravens front that leads the NFL in sacks. He struggled against standout defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who the Bengals recruited during free agency in 2022, and a Seattle Seahawks front that was playing as well as anyone at the time.

Entering the Bengals’ bye week, Volson’s second season in the NFL looked like it would be a step back. Instead, Volson used those tough matchups to fuel a turnaround during the second half of the season.

Over the last two months, Volson has been as consistent as anyone on the Bengals’ offensive line.

“The sky is the limit for what he can become as a player,” Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said. “What you’re seeing is a product of everything he has put in. It’s about how consistent he has been with his work even when things may not have been great on Sundays. That’s the type of player he is. He’s a big-time player.”

With an improved offensive line in 2023, the Bengals are using game plans that rely more on their pass blockers. That was especially the case during the first month of the season when a limited Joe Burrow couldn’t line up under center or run on play-action passes.

During that stretch, Volson gave up some sacks and some big hits.

“You’re constantly learning,” Volson said. “I’m realizing you can’t just rely on some natural ability. You have to be really locked in on all the technical aspects and use those to your advantage. That just takes time. Now we’re playing really good football. The five of us up front are executing really well together. That’s the biggest thing.”

As Volson reflected on his slow start to the season, the coaching staff recognized that his technique needed to be better. Volson’s size has always given him an advantage, and the coaches have been impressed with his physicality since he got drafted by the team in 2022.

But early in the year, Volson’s technique wasn’t consistent. His footwork wasn’t what it needed to be on a snap-to-snap basis, which was a big problem for a Bengals offense that didn’t have much of a margin for error at the time.

“There has been so much less of that over the last several weeks,” Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. “He has really played effective football for us in pass protection and in the run game. To see his ascension after an early up-and-down has been really, really helpful for our offense in general. And for him personally, it’s been good to see him make that next jump and play at that next level.”

Volson’s run of success has come against another standout group of defensive tackles. He won his matchups against Ed Oliver and Cam Heyward, played well in a rematch against the Ravens and handled a blitz-heavy Minnesota Vikings front that had been rushing the passer as well as any team in the NFL.

Volson’s development has implications that go well beyond this season. Right tackle Jonah Williams will be a free agent at the end of this season, and center Ted Karras’ contract expires at the end of the 2024 season. The Bengals won’t be able to spend as aggressively in free agency across the offensive line in the future because of Burrow’s extension, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s projected extension and Brown’s four-year deal.

The Bengals have been waiting for a young offensive lineman to break through as a piece of the long-term core. In Volson, the Bengals have a big, physical and tough guard who can also run 17 mph.

“I compare him to Steve Hutchinson,” Brown said, referencing the Hall of Fame left guard who played between 2001 and 2012. He has the bigger body type and a tackle-like body with the ability to win with leverage. That’s a very rare combination. It’s very hard for me to do that. He does a great job winning with leverage. He’s very strong, and he wins a lot of reps with his feet as well. When you’ve got height, length, strength and size, you’re a hard guy to beat.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals left guard Cordell Volson is making the leap