Bengals' defenders Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy are stepping up in the absence of Trey Hendrickson

CINCINNATI — With Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson out for the rest of the year because of season-ending core muscle surgery, his replacements are making the most of their expanded opportunities.

Until this week, Bengals coach Zac Taylor had deemed Hendrickson as doubtful or out for the Bengals’ upcoming game. Hendrickson missed six games with a hip/pelvis injury, including the last five.

As the Bengals (4-9) prepare to host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy are playing the best football of their careers. Ossai has recorded a team-high 45 pressures this season, followed by Murphy's 31.

“They’re getting a ton of reps,” Taylor said. “They’re getting a lot of confidence. They’ve completely bought in to what we’re asking them to do.”

In the last five games with Hendrickson out of the lineup, the duo has accounted for 45.6% of the Bengals’ quarterback pressures (Ossai has 22 and Murphy 20). No other Cincinnati player has double-digit pressures during that stretch.

Ossai, a five-year veteran, has mostly been Hendrickson’s backup during his career. With Hendrickson out, Ossai is getting his first opportunity to consistently rush against the left tackle on third downs. Ossai has looked more comfortable in that role, and his production has taken off.

“We’ve asked him to do a lot,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “He’s been the veteran guy we’ve asked to do a lot of jobs. Obviously, that got compounded in Trey’s absence. I think we’re asking him to do things right now that he’s executing right now that he’s executing at a high level.”

Murphy, the Bengals’ first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, hadn’t offered much production in the NFL until the middle of this season. But since the bye week, he has become much more impactful. Golden also touted his physicality against the run.

Both players had big games in the Bengals 32-14 victory over Baltimore on Thanksgiving night.

Ossai forced a fumble and had two sacks. Murphy recorded a quarterback hit that resulted in an interception for linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.

But the play that impressed the coaches even more took place earlier on that drive when Murphy chased down Ravens running back Derrick Henry 40 yards down the field for a tackle.

“(Murphy) is made of the right stuff,” Taylor said. “He has continued to work every day he has been in here all season. I’m really excited for Myles to see all the hard work pay off and the consistency come. It’s been really good. He’s an easy guy to pull for. It’s exciting to see him make plays like that. Effort plays like that are huge, too. Even though it’s way down the field, our team sees that on the film.”

Murphy said the biggest differences for him over the last three weeks have been his aggression, his confidence and his ability to play fast. He’s starting to see his production match his expectations.

“I’m putting my best foot forward,” Murphy said. “I’m trying to take that next step every week and keep stepping forward. It feels good. It allows me to play faster and think clearer. It quiets your mind down. A lot of good things come with that.”