Cincinnati Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims is turning in a season that’s impossible to ignore, even if offensive linemen usually have to work twice as hard to get noticed. He was central to Cincinnati’s 35-point outburst in Week 7 against the Ravens, and he’s become a major reason Joe Burrow has had so much room to operate.
That kind of performance tends to fade into the background for most fans. If a tackle is doing his job, he’s usually not part of the conversation.
But Mims has been doing more than just blending in. He’s making a case as one of the best pass protectors in the league at right tackle.
According to Gridiron Grading, this isn’t just a strong year for Mims - it’s the kind of season that belongs in a rare group. The outlet noted on October 26, 2026:
How good has Bengals RT Amarius Mims been this year?
If he continues on this pace, it would be tied for the best pure pass blocking season we have season from an OT in the last 20+ years. pic.twitter.com/FY4xD0CWVG
- Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) October 26, 2026
And the matchups haven’t exactly been soft. Mims handled Tampa Bay first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. in Bain’s NFL debut.
He also went toe-to-toe with Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in Week 2. The following week brought T.J.
Watt, who was effectively taken out of the picture while lined up across from Mims. The Jaguars’ Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen presented another demanding test, and even in Week 7 against Baltimore, Mims kept Burrow clean as the Bengals worked through that blowout.
The simplest way to put it: one edge of Burrow’s world has been unusually calm.
That matters, because Burrow’s production has stayed strong anyway. He’s posted a 110.4 passer rating with 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions, all while operating behind a running game that has been described as both bad and unimaginative in scheme.
Mims’ run blocking grades, though, have kept him from getting more attention. PFF has him as the second-worst run blocker among 68 qualifying offensive tackles, and his overall ranking sits 42nd out of 71 tackles. The numbers are middling enough that they may be helping explain why his season hasn’t gotten more buzz.
Still, there’s reason to be careful about treating those grades as the final word. The Bengals don’t often run to the edge, so it’s fair to question how fully those numbers capture Mims’ work. Either way, the broader picture is clear enough: this is shaping up to be Burrow’s best offensive line, and Mims is the biggest reason why.
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