Jake Fisher is working hard to prepare himself for the 2017 NFL regular season during the spring.

The Cincinnati Bengals right tackle and former Oregon star is preparing to take a starting role on the Bengals offensive line in 2017. Fisher and left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi are slated to assume the tackle positions and one NFL executive said how Fisher and Ogbuehi perform will determine the Bengals level of success in 2017.

"I think their season really comes down to, can Jake Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi play tackle?" the executive told espn.com. "If those guys can play tackle, then that offense is going to be a nightmare. And if those guys cannot play tackle, they do not have answers on the roster and I don't know what they are going to do."

The Bengals lost two key offensive linemen in free agency. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is a three-time Pro Bowler and has been selected to the All-Pro team twice during his career. They also lost guard Kevin Zeitler.

Fisher, in his third season, started the final three games of the 2016 season and earned praise from the coaching staff. Ogbuehi started 12 of the 14 games he appeared in during the 2016 season, but he was benched in Week 13.

The two are expected to bookend the offensive line and protect quarterback Andy Dalton in 2017. The two have been working hard during offseason workouts and their efforts have been noticed by offensive coordinator Ken Zampese.

"They're in good shape and they've got good attitudes," Zampese told bengals.com. "And that's the best thing we can have from them right now because we have a chance to accelerate the learning curve. Their eyes are wide open, they're energetic, they're enthusiastic about what we're doing. They're on the spot to produce, and they know it. And they're doing everything they can to make sure they come through for all of us."

-- Geoffrey C. Arnold | @geoffreycarnold