Bengals guard Xavier Su’a-Filo: ‘Everything starts up front with the offensive line’ – The Cincinnati Enquirer

It hasnt taken long for Xavier Su'a-Filo to assert himself at right guard.

After primarily lining up at left guard in his career, the seventh-year veteran is the presumptive starter at right guard for the Cincinnati Bengals. Su'a-Filo played some right guard in Houston and Dallas, but he spent most of his time at left guard. In Cincinnati, hes penciled in on the right side.

Good. When I was in Dallas, especially in training camp, I played a lot of right guard for Zack Martin early on the last couple of years. So, Ive gotten real comfortable there with it, Su'a-Filo said. A lot of reps.

Cincinnati Bengals guard Xavier Su'a-Filo (72) waits between plays during training camp at the Paul Brown Stadium practice field in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.(Photo: Sam Greene)

Su'a-Filo was signed over the offseason to replace last years starter John Miller. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound lineman viewed the Bengals as a good fit for him on the field. He was mainly a reserve interior lineman as a member of the Cowboys.

It was an opportunity really for me. To come in (and) be a part of a unit that has a lot of talent. And I know last year was last year and its a new year and its a new opportunity come in and compete and win in this division, Su'a-Filo said.

For the past two years, Su'a-Filo was part of a Cowboys O-line group that was one of the best in the NFL. Dallas had three perennial Pro Bowlers on its offensive line. In Cincinnati, he joins a much-maligned group upfront with zero former Pro Bowlers. Andy Dalton and Ryan Finley were sacked a combined 48 times last season and the unit struggled to consistently create holes in the run game. However, Su'a-Filo senses some untapped potential.

I just think it's untapped and we have to find it. There's a lot of guys like Mike coming into the second year, there's a lot of big jumps first to second year, Su'a-Filo said. But just for me, coming in as a veteran to kind of really help this group, and having guys like Trey (Hopkins), Bobby (Hart) has played a lot of football, to just kind of have that experience. For me, I think we can go as far as we want. We've just got to work, and we've got to be willing to do it as a unit.

Su'a-Filo has already provided tutelage for some of the younger linemen. Hes given the other starting guard, Michael Jordan, some O-line insight. The second-year left guard praised Su'a-Filo for what hes already brought to the offensive line.

Xavier Su'a-Filo brings a lot of competitiveness and hes a leader as well. For me personally, Ive always had those things in the room. (As a rookie) I had John Jerry and I had Andre Smith, Jordan said. Those guys helped me out a lot. Just have another guy like those two, it just adds on to it.

The question will soon become, can Su'a-Filo add to the offensive line on game days?

Cincinnatis O-line features two new projected starters in left tackle Jonah Williams and Su'a-Filo at right guard. With two new starters joining Jordan, Hopkins and presumably Hart upfront, the Bengals are banking on the unit developing continuity. The Bengals can ill-afford rookie quarterback Joe Burrow routinely running for his life in the backfield and another slow start in the run game. Su'a-Filo and the rest of the offensive line understand that.

Everything starts up front with the offensive line, Su'a-Filo. We have to protect. We have to do our job.

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Bengals guard Xavier Su'a-Filo: 'Everything starts up front with the offensive line' - The Cincinnati Enquirer