Paul Dehner Jr.

pdehnerjr@enquirer.com

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander walked into Salzano’s barber shop on 4th St., looking for a relaxing haircut at a spot he’d frequented for years developing friendships with the three Italian barbers.

Before long, relaxation evaporated. Suddenly he found himself amidst the latest example of what he coined the “witch hunt” of current starting center Russell Bodine.

“It pissed me off,” he said. “They got three Italian barbers there all yelling at each other, they are all brothers and they are getting on me about Bodine. I finally had to tell one to eff off. Jeez, I can’t even get my haircut in peace.”

That’s because the draft brought up the future of the starting center which Alexander supported trading up for in the fourth round two years ago. Bodine, 23, has started every game in the middle of a veteran line since being taken No. 111 overall in 2014.

Alexander addressed the issue without being prompted in a small media session following the selection of Christian Westerman of Arizona State in the fifth round. When a slew of questions surrounded Westerman’s ability to transition from guard to center, he addressed the storyline at the core of the conversation.

Bengals' 5th round: Christian Westerman, OL, Arizona State

“You guys are asking about the Bodine witch hunt, right?” Alexander said. “Let me tell you about Bodine, all right? Let me tell you about him. He’s better than (Clint) Boling was after two years. He’s similar to what Zeitler was. Zeitler didn’t start out all that great. I was talking to (Andrew Whitworth) and talking about Rich Braham. He said, ‘Hey, don’t compare Bodine to Rich Braham.’ Rich Braham didn’t step on the field until his third year. This is a young player who is playing in his third year with a bunch of veterans and very good offensive linemen and he’s the last one right now because he’s the youngest. But I don’t care what anyone else says I think Bodine is a hell of a player. That’s where I’m at on that.”

Calling Bodine the weakest link on the Bengals’ starting line isn’t necessarily an insult considering the confluence of first-round picks and Pro Bowls. Alexander urges patience will pay off for a guy who was part of a line that finished among the best in football the last two years under his watch. Bodine will again slot as the starting center when the Bengals open the season this year.

“I just think he’s young,” Alexander said. “When you look at his birthdate he’s the same age as kids in this class. He came out two years early. He has incredible strength and tough and he just needs to learn how to do it. It’s going to come. They all do that. He’s better than some of the other guys at this point in their career.”