The Cincinnati Bengals did the right stuff when it came to the offensive tackle position this offseason. Not only did they sign Trent Brown in free agency, but they used their first-round pick on Georgie offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

Now, both Mims and Brown are dealing with injuries. Mims suffered a pectoral strain not long ago and could miss “several weeks,” and Brown left a joint practice with the Bears on Thursday with some back tightness. D’Ante Smith was also carted off the field on Thursday.

Having said all that, here are a few free agents still available in free agency so the team doesn’t have to rely on Jackson Carman.

Again.

Donovan Smith, 31

Smith was the Chiefs left tackle in 2023, but he struggled, giving up 53 pressures and racked up 10 penalties. He’s on the wrong side of 30, but he’s a two-time Super Bowl champion starting left tackle, and unless the Bengals are comfortable with Carman, he’s likely the best option available.

The only issue is he’s been a left tackle, and only left tackle, since he came into the league in 2015. He may not want to play right tackle. He may not be good at it.

Cameron Fleming, 31

Cam Fleming could be a swing tackle and, in the best-case scenario, would replace Carman on the roster once Mims/Brown is healthy. He’s experienced on the left and right side of the line. He wasn’t healthy for most of the season last year, though. That’s not to say he’s not healthy now, but the last thing the Bengals need to do is add another right tackle who may get hurt.

D.J. Humphries, 30

Here’s another long-time left tackle. Humphries does have a little experience at right tackle, but you’d have to go a ways back to find it. Last season, he started every game at left tackle for the Cardinals. He was released in March of this year and is still available. If he wants to win a Super Bowl, he could come to Cincy and play a year.

Jason Peters, 42!

Hey, he was signed to an active roster last season for the Seahawks when he was 41. If he still wants to play, who would you rather have? Peters or Carman?

David Bakhtiari, 32

Here’s another long-time left tackle. He was released, like Humphries, in March of this season. However, he missed all of the 2023 season with a knee injury, and he missed almost all of the 2021 season (all except one game) with various injuries. If he can make the jump to right tackle, AND HE’S HEALTHY, come on down.

Billy Turner, 32

Turner has experience at left and right tackle, most recently for the Jets. He’s played right tackle more than left, and he’s not the best tackle available, but he could help in a pinch. The Bengals are in a pinch right now, and Turner could help hold things down until Brown or Mims is up and running.

Duane Brown, 38

Brown is another long-time left tackle and a possible future Hall of Famer. He played for the Jets over the last two seasons and spent the vast majority of 2023 on IR with a hip issue. He’s older and, like Peters, probably too old. But if he wants to play another year, the question is, again, who do you like more: Brown or Carman?

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There are other guys. The Bengals could consider Charles Leno or Riley Reiff, but neither was healthy in 2023, and I’m not sure if the Bengals would even be interested.

Truth be told, we can’t be sure the Bengals are interested in signing anyone. Maybe they know Mims and/or Brown will be healthy by Week 1. Maybe they’re confident enough in Carman to let him play right tackle in Week 1 if they’re not.

Hopefully, that’s not the case because I’ve seen that movie, and I didn’t like it the first time, or the second time, or the third.

If the Bengals don’t have Mims or Brown in Week 1, they need to sign one of the guys mentioned above.

Who would you prefer?