Will BJ Hill return to Cincinnati Bengals injury-riddled defensive line vs. Panthers?

No position group on the Cincinnati Bengals has been under a microscope three weeks into the regular season than the defensive line.

On the outside, Trey Hendrickson is playing his way toward a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection and Sam Hubbard has struggled after offseason ankle surgery and a hamstring issue in training camp.

The interior has been a bigger mess with starting defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill each suffering hamstring injuries in Week 2 and missing Monday's loss to Washington .

On Wednesday, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor updated the status of his two starting defensive tackles as the team prepares for a must-win road game against the Carolina Panthers .

More: Watch Zac Taylor's press conference as Bengals prepare for Andy Dalton, Panthers

"We'll see as we go. B.J. (Hill) is probably a little closer than Sheldon (Rankins), but we'll see just as the week goes how close," Taylor said.

Soft tissue injuries this early in the season can be tricky to manage. Rushing a player back too soon could lead to a bigger deal and more time on the sidelines. Hill did not practice on Wednesday.

"The one thing you can't do is re-aggrevate something that's going to linger for much longer," Taylor added. "Obviously we need those guys back."

With Rankins and Hill in street clothes, the Bengals rolled out an interior defensive line of unproven backups Zach Carter, Jay Tufele and rookie Kris Jenkins (making his NFL debut) along with 34-year-old Lawrence Guy, who the team signed six days before the game.

The Bengals held Washington's running backs to just 68 yards on 19 attempts, but the lack of pass rush outside of Hendrickson was alarming. Cincinnati's defensive line got little push and rookie Jayden Daniels picked them apart in an NFC offensive player of the week effort.

Hill has been the Bengals' best pass rusher from the interior since landing in Cincinnati via a trade in 2021, recording 13 sacks over the last three years.

Cincinnati Bengals tackling issues returned in loss to Washington Commanders

The Bengals' defense had a chance to set the tone early against Washington. The Commanders faced second-and-10 from their own 46 on their opening drive after the Bengals had taken a 7-0 lead.

Daniels' screen pass to Austin Ekeler was well-covered, but Hubbard, Tufele and Germaine Pratt each whiffed at the tackle and the veteran scampered for 14 yards. Six plays later, Washington punched it in, and the Bengals never led again.

After a stellar effort in a near upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, the Bengals missed 11 tackles for nearly 70 yards, according to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

"That's too many," Anarumo said Wednesday. "We just didn't ever get ourselves into a third down that was beyond (third and) two. A lot of situational stuff we just weren't good in, and it showed the way we played."

Anarumo said Monday's lack of pass rush was a result of multiple things. Most importantly, the Commanders' first- and second-down success that helped them play ahead of the chains. Washington didn't face a third down longer than a yard until the fourth quarter and went 3-for-3 on fourth down, resulting in one of the most frustrating game tapes in Anarumo's career.

"It's up there for sure."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Will BJ Hill return to Cincinnati Bengals injury-riddled defensive line vs. Panthers?