When the Cincinnati Bengals lined up for their first 11-on-11 drill of their offseason program on Monday, rookie Jonah Williams stepped in at left offensive tackle and Cordy Glenn, a seven-year NFL veteran who manned that position for the team last season, went to left guard.

“That’s typically what happens with those first-rounders,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said about Williams. “And, you know, he’s taken it all in and been really sharp with it.”

Before Cincinnati selected Williams with the 11th choice in the NFL Draft on April 25, there was talk that he would be shifted to guard or right tackle in the pros, instead of staying at left tackle, where he was a unanimous All-American and won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy at that position with Alabama in 2018.

“It’s a good feeling, but it doesn’t mean anything if I don’t prove them right for making that move," Williams said after his first OTA practice in the NFL. "That’s my challenge every day. …

“It’s intense. It’s the NFL. Really talented guys across the board. The game moves fast. It was a good first day. A lot to improve on. We got a lot of plays in. A lot of reps to watch on film.”

Taylor said the opening-practice lineup wasn't set in stone. The Bengals return their starting offensive line from 2018 and signed John Miller in free agency. A four-year starter for the Buffalo Bills, Miller is expected to push Alex Redmond out of the lineup at right guard.

Taylor said Cincinnati would like to settle on a starting offensive line “sooner rather than later. But we also want to make sure it’s the right five linemen, like we’ve said before, and if that takes us all the way up to training camp and beyond, then so be it. We put the first five out there that we think will have a good chance of helping us, and we’ll see how that goes.”

The Bengals also opened OTAs with Clint Boling on the rehab field with an undisclosed injury. Boling has been a starter for Cincinnati for seven seasons, mainly at left guard.

“We’ll find what works best,” Taylor told reporters on the field after Monday’s practice. “You do want five guys to develop some chemistry with one another, and so the more reps they get together the better. But again, we’re going to find that right combination as soon as we can. …

“I think every day it'll be a conversation. What you saw out there today was where we wanted to start and give that group the first look. It could change daily; it could for the next four weeks remain the same.”

Although Taylor cautioned against reading too much into a first-day lineup, Glenn said he’d “embraced” the move to guard after “a man-to-man talk” with offensive-line coach Jim Turner.

“When we drafted Jonah, it was going to be different, especially with that type of investment,” Glenn said. “You have to do whatever to help out the team. That’s what it comes down to, honestly. …

"I ain’t tripping. It’s different. Just embracing it and trying to get better.”

Taylor said he appreciated Glenn's attitude.

“I love his mindset,” Taylor said. “His mindset has been outstanding. He just wants to help us win, and that’s what you appreciate about Cordy.”

The Bengals haven’t opened a season with a rookie at left tackle since 1980, when Anthony Munoz started his Hall of Fame career with Cincinnati.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.