One of the biggest priorities for the Bengals in the 2017 offseason is to retool the offensive line. The biggest hole to fill will be the one that protects quarterback Andy Dalton’s blind side.

All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth is heading to the west coast after signing with the Los Angeles Rams. He leaves after 10 years in Cincinnati. This is a huge loss for the team, not only on the field, but in the locker room too. Whitworth has allowed only 14 quarterback pressures in the entire 2016 season and scored highest on Pro Football Focus’s pass-blocking efficiency rating. That trust and protection will be sorely missed.

Right tackle is another position that will likely be settled in training camp.

Cedric Ogbuehi was drafted in the first round in 2015 to eventually take over at left tackle. He won the right tackle job at the beginning of the 2016 season, but struggled before he was benched, giving up nine sacks and 40-total quarterback pressures in only 11 games. He got a tryout on the left side in Week 16, but gave up two more sacks in the game against Houston before going down with an injury. It will be interesting to see where the coaching staff places him in 2017.

Jake Fisher got the start at right tackle in place of Ogbuehi and was impressive. Fisher will compete for a starting role in 2017, but Ogbuehi and a familiar face making a return are also in the mix.

Andre Smith was re-signed this offseason, and he could be the best possible replacement at either tackle position on the roster at this time. His 2016 season in Minnesota was shortened by injury, but he has proven to be a solid tackle for the Bengals in the past. Eric Winston is also in the fold, but he appears to be on the team purely for depth.

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The Bengals could draft a tackle as early as No. 9 overall, though that seems unlikely with how weak the class is overall.

The 2017 tackle draft class isn’t as strong as Cincinnati may want it to be, but the Bengals could select Alabama’s Cam Robinson or Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk in the first round or second round. The two tackles are the best in a weak class. If Cincinnati picks one of them at nine, some pundits may call it a reach, but it will be filling a need.

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Another prospect the Bengals could take on is Bucknell’s Julie’n Davenport. He’s created a lot of buzz at the small Pennsylvania private school and could go on the second day of the draft. He’s likely not ready to take on NFL caliber defensive linemen, as he’s been playing against teams in the Patriot league of the NCAA Championship Subdivision. He’s also got some work to do as far as filling out his body, as he only weighed in at 318 pounds at the combine. He’ll be a project to take on, but he has the raw skills to be successful in the NFL.

The Bengals will likely draft at least one tackle during draft weekend, the only question is where.