The last three matches are huge for the Cincinnati Bengals as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive. In order to secure a playoff spot, the Bengals need to win their final three games and get significant help from other teams.
If the Bengals fail to make the playoffs, these final games provide the last chance for personnel evaluation. Heading into Week 16, there is no player with more to prove than former first-round defensive end Myles Murphy.
After recording three sacks in his first season with the Bengals, Murphy has yet to record a sack this season and has two quarterback hits. Typically in the NFL the biggest jump for players is between years one and two and that’s why it’s concerning that Murphy isn’t producing at a higher level.
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Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said Wednesday that sacks are the main stat he looks for when evaluating an edge rusher’s productivity and compared it to evaluating a cornerback based on the number of captures that it authorizes.
“At the end of the day, it’s like playing corner, right? » said Anarumo. “How many takes do you give up?” How many interceptions do you have? Rushers are based on whether you have been sacked? »
Lou Anarumo Feels Myles Murphy ‘Is Close’
Anarumo said Murphy was “close” but was just looking to finish more often.
“You have to keep working to finish, put the guy on the ground and beat the guy in front of him at the end of the day,” Anarumo said.
The Bengals selected Murphy with the 29th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson entering the final year of his contract in 2025, Murphy was drafted to be the future of the Bengals’ defensive room.
Murphy’s sophomore season started slowly after suffering a knee injury in training camp that placed him on injured reserve. Ten games into the season, Murphy said he was surprised he hadn’t recorded a sack yet.
“Yeah, honestly, because I worked a lot this offseason,” Murphy said in response to a question asking if he was surprised he hasn’t been fired yet. “I know it’s coming.”
Anarumo has opted to play defensive end Joseph Ossai more over Murphy since returning from injury. Ossai has improved this year and looks more like the disruptive rusher the Bengals hoped he would be after drafting him in the third round in 2021. In 14 games this year, Ossai has three sacks and 13 quarterback hits .
In addition to battling with Ossai for more snaps, Anarumo also brought defensive end Sam Hubbard into the mix with Ossai and Murphy. In the Bengals’ Week 15 win over the Titans, Ossai played 41 snaps (59%) and Murphy played 30 snaps (43%).
Myles Murphy should see more playing time for the Bengals
Murphy will see more playing time moving forward with Hubbard out indefinitely with a knee injury. Anarumo hopes that with more playing time, the Bengals will get more production from Murphy. Anarumo also believes Murphy has been on the field enough to have a full assessment of his situation.
“I hope so, we’ll see how it goes,” Anarumo said. “But he played quite a bit on Sunday and I think he’s getting close.”
The Bengals are hoping for a breakout game from Murphy soon and he thinks that’s on the horizon. Murphy said he’s frustrated that he hasn’t been able to get a sack yet because of the competitor he is, but refuses to let that reflect on his performance on the field.
“You can’t let last week affect this week,” Murphy said.
If Murphy can show he’s capable of being a disruptive player over the next few weeks, it could change what the Bengals decide to do with free agency and the draft this offseason. A sack-free season would force the front office to take a hard look at whether they think they can be a difference maker or whether they’re not moving forward.
There is an expectation that comes with being a first-round draft pick in the NFL and Murphy is experiencing it.
The Los Angeles Rams selected defensive end Jared Verse in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft at pick No. 19. Verse has 4.5 sacks and 17 hits in his rookie season. This is the type of impact a first-round edge rusher should have in the NFL. Verse has been so dominant this year that he is a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
And while it’s far too early to judge Murphy’s NFL career, it’s clear he hasn’t produced enough this year. Murphy and Anarumo hope it’s not too late to turn his season around.
“I hope (Myles) has a breakout game and we would love to see it, for sure,” Anarumo said.
This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: Myles Murphy seeks big opportunity with Bengals over next three games
