The Cincinnati Bengals could be a surprise team in the AFC. After finally pulling the plug on Marvin Lewis, the madhouse of mediocrity, the team invested in young offensive mind, Zac Taylor. While Taylor has never been a head coach or coordinator, his background working with wonder boy Sean McVay and Jared Goff did offer value.

The Bengals offense will likely be the key to their success. Andy Dalton is entering his ninth season under center and is a proven winner. While the red rifle had looked like he’s firing bb pellets instead of footballs, his arsenal could make or break the team’s success.

AJ Green has finished with six 1,000-plus yard seasons while fourth-year receiver Tyler Boyd officially passed the triple-dight yard mark. Joe Mixon is on the cusp of being a consensus top 10 running back in the league, and Gio Bernard isn’t the worst second option.

If Tyler Eifert and John Ross both hit, Taylor will at least have some components to build a Los Angeles out in Cincinnati. Sure, the offensive line is going to be a flaw, but hey, the team drafted Jonah Williams for a reason.

Alabama’s left tackle was considered one of the safest offensive line prospects in April’s draft. Cincinnati wasted little time to select Williams with the 11th pick and make him the future blindside protector for the team.

Fans might be excited for Williams to grow, but they’ll be waiting a year to see if he’s a hit or a miss. Unlike the New England Patriots – who lost their rookie left tackle last season – the Bengals are going to be looking for an answer on the offensive line.

The doctor is in

According to team sources, Williams underwent left shoulder surgery Tuesday morning to repair a torn labrum. Reports are saying he will likely miss the entire 2019 season. The good news for Bengals fans is the 21-year-old left tackle is expected to make a full recovery.

“We look forward to Jonah being a major contributor in the future, and know that he won’t let this injury deter him from still being an important part of this team,” Taylor said in a statement according to Bengals.com. “We’re confident in our offensive line personnel as we head into training camp, and we believe they can do their part in helping this team achieve its goals.”

The Bengals knew left tackle was going to be an issue that needed correction following the loss of veteran Andrew Withworth. Moving back in the 2018 draft, Cincinnati traded the 12th overall pick to the Buffalo Bills for Cordy Glenn and the 21st selection. Glenn struggled to mimic his above-average status last season on the left side. He was expected to move inside to guard and allow the rookie to take his first chance to become a franchise cornerstone.

It’s not ideal that the Bengals will have to endure a loss to their line, but things could be worse. The 29-year-old Glenn has experience playing left tackle and struggled for the first time in his career last season.

Glenn allowed a career-high 36 pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, the experience can go a long way to help set the tone moving forward. Glenn was going to start somewhere so now it’s time to see if former prospect Christian Westerman is up for the challenge.

Heard this all before

Williams’ injury is a downer for the organization, but not a knife in the coffin. First round picks, and Cincinnati never seems to pan out during their rookie seasons.

Joe Goodberry of The Athletic recently outlined the success of a Bengals first-rounder during the first year. Facts prove it hasn’t gone as planned since 2013.

This is about the worst luck possible.

Makes Billy Price's injury riddled rookie year look like a treat! pic.twitter.com/SO5Cz8nR3i — JG (@JoeGoodberry) June 25, 2019

Eifert’s career has been injury prone while Darqueze Dennard set the tone for a mediocre stay. Cincinnati knew they would have to wait to see if Cedric Ogbuehi would pan out after the Aggie suffered a torn ACL during his final season.

Spoiler: He didn’t.

William Jackson might be a rising cornerback, but a torn pectoral muscle cost him a season in coverage. Ross made one play that ended up in fumble recovery by Jadeveon Clowney in 2017 while Billy Price suffered multiple injuries that sidelined him last season.

It’s a curse to be a first-round pick in “Who-Dey” Nation, but maybe also a blessing in disguise. Kevin Zeitler was the last strong top selection and bolted for the money in free agency the second he was available. Meanwhile, Jackson has improved each season since 2016 and graded out with 73.4 ratings last season by PFF.

Williams missing his rookie season could hurt his immediate impact but could turn out to be the best thing for the organization.

Hold your head high Bengals

There’s a positive and a negative when looking at Williams’ injury, the ladder being the team will be waiting until 2020 to see his worth. As a three-year starter in Tuscaloosa, Williams became one of the most polished prospects since his freshman season. An elite run blocker and high-quality pass protector, Williams allowed just eight career sacks and never missed a start.

The Bengals were prepared for the inevitable and are confident sticking with Glenn for one more season on the left side.

“Cordy has been a real pro through this whole thing, and we have no doubt he’ll continue to be as we move ahead,” Bengals offensive line coach Jim Turner said according to the team site. “We were looking for Jonah to learn from Cordy playing next to him and he still will, but it’s going to be more now as a teacher.”

Most struggling teams would be thankful to have Glenn’s service for a season or two. One struggling season doesn’t define a player. And one player doesn’t define a team’s success in a season. The Bengals still have an above average arsenal – they could surprise people and succeed.

Bengals’ fans cursing the team to fail due to Williams is silly. A rookie will always be a role-player their first season while adjusting to the NFL. Thinking the team is going to struggle due to the loss of a tackle is silly.

Because the reality is, Williams’ presence wasn’t going to make a difference. The Bengals offensive line was always going to struggle to protect Dalton. Dalton is expected to continue into his regression. The 32nd ranked defense still has flaws across the board that will hold them back.

It’s a tough time to be a Bengals’ fan but let’s not kid yourself. Williams isn’t changing the issues across the board found in Cincinnati. Strap in for a long season fans.

The Williams’ blow is just icing on the mediocre cake.

Cole Thompson is the Lead NFL writer for Pro Football Network. Follow him on Twitter at @MrColeThompson.