Sheldon Rankins, the new defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals, made quite the entrance at Paycor Stadium this week. After a short stint in free agency, he signed with the team and arrived ready to make an impact.
Rankins had a humorous first encounter with Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Rankins jokingly asked Taylor why he didn't slide to him during their game last season, where Rankins recorded three sacks while playing for the Texans.
For Rankins, his performance against the Bengals might have felt like deja vu in a different jersey. He revealed that he drew inspiration from Geno Atkins, a former Bengals player, for his power rushes. Rankins admired Atkins' ability to shock opponents and create chaos on the field. He also studied players like Aaron Donald and Jurrell Casey, who had similar body types and movement styles.
The Bengals brought Rankins on board to revitalize their pass rush. They hope that he, along with B.J. Hill, can wreak havoc from the middle of the defensive line. So far, Rankins' time in Cincinnati is off to a promising start.
Login