Bengals See Injury to Crucial Position Group at Training Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Cincinnati Bengals have seen their first injury scare of the 2025 training camp, and it’s to a unit that desperately needs to be at full strength this season.
Offensive guard Lucas Patrick suffered an apparent right calf injury on Friday. He was forced to leave practice after noticeably limping, but eventually returned from the locker room under his own power with a compression sleeve.
Patrick signed with the Bengals in free agency this offseason after starting 10 games for the New Orleans Saints last season.
Here’s another clip of Lucas Patrick. He talked with trainers before walking back to the locker room https://t.co/krXXlJQJJDpic.twitter.com/q8oNS8zEml
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) July 25, 2025
Patrick, who turns 32 next week, was set to compete for a starting lineup spot at right guard with Cody Ford.
Backup center Matt Lee had also been sitting out for a minor injury at camp, leading Patrick to get some reps at guard and center this week up until his injury. This versatility has been useful throughout in his career as he has starts at both positions from his time on the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
Whether it’s Patrick or Ford who is the eventual starting guard, Cincinnati will need the group to be as healthy and capable as possible this season to protect star quarterback Joe Burrow … which was not the case much of last season.
Outside of starting center Ted Karras, the Bengals’ front five struggled and was one of the worst groups in the NFL in 2024. The team was lucky Burrow was able to stay healthy for all 17 games after facing 48 sacks – tied for fourth-most in the NFL. It’s even more miraculous how efficient the offense was with such struggling protection (sixth-highest scoring offense and No. 1 passing offense).
Pro Football Focus ranked the Bengals’ O-line third-worst in the NFL last season after finishing sixth-worst in pass-blocking efficiency. Ahead of the 2025 season, PFF ranked the Bengals’ line second-worst in the league.
If he can return from this injury, Patrick could be a big help, as the journeyman did not allow a sack in 330 pass-block opportunities with the Saints last season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.