— Bobby Hart tops the Bengals‘ initial depth chart as the starting right tackle Kemoko Turay Color Rush Jersey , but it’s more of a first draft than a final report.

No part of the team will be under closer scrutiny than the offensive line when Cincinnati hosts the Bears on Thursday.

The line became the offseason priority after the Bengals (7-9) finished last in the NFL on offense for the first time in franchise history. The line was the biggest problem, creating few holes for running backs and giving Andy Dalton little time to throw.

Two weeks of training camp started sorting it out, with Hart listed as a starter for the moment. That could change quickly with a bad performance, dropping someone to the second unit.

“There is not a ‘first’ offensive line,” coach Marvin Lewis said Tuesday.

Hart was the first move in changing the line. The Bengals signed him Feb. 14 as a free agent from the Giants, where he started 21 games at tackle over the past three seasons. He’s competing with Cedric Ogbuehi at the spot.

Ogbuehi was a first-round pick in 2015 when he was recovering from a torn ACL. He started 12 games in 2016 at right tackle and 13 last season at left tackle, but struggled at both spots. His competition with Hart at right tackle will come down to how they perform in the preseason games.

Hart’s experience helped him get the early edge.

“He’s got the experience and the chip on his shoulder,” Lewis said. “He’s a guy battling for a job, battling to be a starter. He’s still a very young player, a good athlete, a big man Adidas Vincent Trocheck Jersey , still has development ahead of him. That was the attraction to Bobby.”

One of Cincinnati’s biggest moves in the offseason was trading first-round draft slots with Buffalo to obtain left tackle Cordy Glenn . He’s backed up by Jake Fisher, a second-round pick in 2015 who started seven games at right tackle last season before a heart condition required a procedure.

Left guard Clint Boling is the main holdover on the line, entering his eighth season — the past six as a starter. Trey Hopkins returns at right tackle, where he started the last 11 games last season.

The Bengals’ other big move to upgrade the line came in the draft. They took Ohio State center Billy Price in the first round and installed him as the starter. He had some problems with snaps early in camp.

“Billy still has to go out there and earn the job,” Lewis said. “We are giving him the first crack at it.”

The coaches would like to have the competition sort out so they can get their starters enough playing time together during the preseason.

“That area has to play as one,” said Duke Tobin, director of player personnel. “You can’t have five individuals up there. There’s still a lot of work to find out who that five are going to be and get them playing as one unit.”

DARK CLOUD OVERHEAD: A downpour 45 minutes into practice forced drenched players to head for cover at Paul Brown Stadium. Practice resumed about an hour later in a steady rain. The Bengals are the only northern NFL franchise without their own covered practice field.

NO BURFICT: Lewis said Vontaze Burfict won’t play Thursday. The linebacker wasn’t cleared to practice until Monday because of a hamstring problem. Burfict is suspended for the first four games of the season because he violated the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.

WHAT ABOUT EIFERT?: Lewis declined to say whether tight end Tyler Eifert will play against the Bears. He was held out of the start of camp as he recovers from chronic back problems that limited him to two games last season.

Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Lucas Patrick hasn't played baseball since he was a child. With one swing of the bat, he broke the nose of one of the "faces of the franchise."

At the Green & Gold Charity Softball Game on Saturday in Grand Chute, Patrick's line drive struck linebacker Clay Matthews in the face, breaking the long-haired star's nose.

"I talked with him immediately after it happened," Patrick said Monday. "I went up Zach Werenski Jersey , and he was as calm and cool as could be. He's a tough guy to hop up like he did. He helped settle my nerves. I felt terrible, of course."

Patrick called it "one of those fluke things" that happens in baseball. Matthews was pitching at the time.

Matthews, who has not taken part in workouts following offseason knee surgery, was not at Monday's practice. He likely will have surgery on his nose later this week, coach Mike McCarthy said.

"I talked to him again today. He's a nice guy and (I'm) praying for him. Hope everything heals up. He was as good a guy as you could be during that," Patrick said.

Matthews has posted on Twitter that he was thankful the injury wasn't more serious. Despite a scare involving one of his premier players, McCarthy said is still OK with participation in the charity game.

"Anytime your players give back, charity involved in the community, that's a great day for the fans. I mean they sell it out every year," McCarthy said. "Yeah, I'm not going to overreact to this."

Matthews and receiver Davante Adams were co-captains for the game Michael Pierce Jersey , taking the place of Jordy Nelson, who was released in March.

Patrick has been starting at left guard in place of Lane Taylor, who had offseason ankle surgery. When training camp begins in late July, Patrick and Justin McCray will be the front-runners to fill the vacancy at right guard, where veteran Jahri Evans started last season.

"It's been huge," Patrick said. "The best part is I can go with Lane after every practice and be like, 'Hey, on this set, I was seeing this, feeling this.' And he gives me his take on what I should do, what I can do better Kevin Huber Jersey , or if he thinks what I'm doing is pretty good."

The Packers are in the last week of voluntary workouts. Mandatory minicamp takes place next week.

The only player who has not participated in the practices is safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

"Ha Ha, just like a number of veterans, when we start the offseason program, we go through everybody's individual schedule," McCarthy said. "Things do come up, so he's had a personal situation that he's attended to, so I have no concerns."

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