With Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard taking things day by day, there was an opportunity for a few Cincinnati Bengals defenders to step up. Cam Sample was one of those defenders but it was announced on Monday he suffered an Achilles tear and has been lost for the entire 2024 season.
The team released its first depth chart for the season on Monday and Sample was listed with the second team behind Hubbard. Now, players like Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy have to step up and be ready if called upon.
Sample was a fourth-round selection by the Bengals in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Tulane. As a rookie, Sample logged 310 snaps over 14 games. In total, he amassed 14 tackles, one tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks, and five QB hits. In 2022, he made one start while appearing in 16 games for 412 snaps. He made 25 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and seven QB hits.
Last season, Sample started two games en route to a 376-snap season where he saw action in every game. He set a career-high with 29 tackles and added one tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks, and eight QB hits. He even added a pass breakup.
Losing Sample for the year is going to hurt the Bengals' defensive line depth. Now, last year's first-round pick, Murphy, has an opportunity to have the breakout season many are expecting. He was drafted as a high-upside project with impressive athletic traits, so 2024 may have to be the season he steps up.
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