Green, Dunlap, and Whitworth key cogs in preparation for season

Even though the Bengals are coming off of a supreme performance against the Falcons, something seems missing with the starting groups on both sides of the ball. Andrew Whitworth and AJ Green are still recovering from injuries to their legs, crucial limbs to play their respective positions, and Carlos Dunlap is struggling to take snaps after a head injury. The Bengals are rightly taking it slow with three of the best five players on the team, but there comes a time in the preseason when the integral players need to knock the rust off.

Expectations for AJ Green are huge this year. He has been consistently rated as the second or third best receiver in the NFL. Star wideouts like Calvin Johnson have had major success in their third seasons, and Green's acumen for the game could easily propel him to over one hundred catches and fifteen touchdowns. The sky is truly the limit. 

Andrew Whitworth arguably plays the most important position on the roster, protecting Andy Dalton's blind side. Whitworth has done an exceptional job at this as an underrated Pro Bowler, and the Bengals need to get away from letting Anthony Collins take snaps on the left side with the starters. If Collins is competing for any starting position, it should be right tackle where he has played well in the past. The continuity of the offensive line is the Bengals' most unrecognized strength, but the starting line from 2012 needs more experience taking snaps with one another.

Carlos Dunlap is a boom or bust player for the Bengals. He has battled many injuries over the past few years, but has shown promise to become a double digit sack ace at times. During his rookie year, Dunlap seemed virtually unblockable in a limited amount of games as a third down rusher. Dunlap's presence opens up lanes for Geno Atkins and Domata Peko to wreak havoc. Coaches underestimate the preseason a great deal because of a fear of injuries and low snap counts for starters displayed in games. Although records in the preseason should be taken with a grain of salt, the in-game action is necessary to prepare for the opener. There is no doubt Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III will be out of sync when he opens up the year without preseason experience. The Bengals need Whitworth, Green, and Dunlap fully in NFL game shape by preseason week three against Dallas or problems could occur early in the year.