The Bengals started off nicely on days 1 and 2. I believe that the Bengals took the best player available to them at 31 and will find a fit for Dax Hill to get some serious snaps by Week 1. When the Bengals went back-to-back to solidify their secondary with Cam Taylor-Britt the writing on the wall that they are not 100% confident in Eli Apple and Tre Flowers. I support this message. In Round 3 the Zach Carter pick also didn’t make me scratch my head. We needed an interior defensive lineman to add pressure up the middle with hopes of taking double teams off of Hendrickson and Hubbard. The Bengals had bad timing in this draft and the players that we were all hoping would be available did not fall to us.
Day 3 started and this is where they began to lose me. Most draft nerds and mock teams had never heard of Cordell Volson, listen to Locked on Bengals Podcast to confirm that. Taking an OL in the fourth is not what made me question the pick, it was that Volson might not be the best player available here. Hopefully the front office sees something on tape that makes a fool of me, but I think most fans were surprised at this.
Next they go back to safety for the 3rd time (kind of) and take Tycen Anderson. Nothing against Tycen but did we need three players in the backfield in this draft? A CB and a S sure, but three players that all are marked as safeties and not necessarily true CBs? Sure Carter and Hill will play both but where do we fit a third guy in on this squad?
The pick that I did like was Jeffrey Gunter. In round 7 everyone is a crapshoot and the kid looks to be a beast. Sure he went to a small-time school but if you can develop him into a pro what amazing value they got. Anything that adds to a pass rush or challenges guys to get better on that DL is great in my book.
What I didn’t like is what wasn’t addressed. How about LG, TE, WR, LB and dare I say punter? Everyone thought that Araiza would be taken by the Bengals since Huber has not yet been re-signed. Is Jackson Carman really going to start the season at LG? Are we certain that our backups can fill-in when injuries happen? I don’t like our lack of depth on that OL.
Hayden Hurst is likely a one-year rental so what are we doing long term at the position? He performs and we over-pay a TE when we weren’t willing to bring back Uzomah. Drew Sample clearly isn’t the player we were hoping for. Sure, we didn’t get McBride to fall to us, but there were other guys that were brought into Cincinnati that could still contribute and develop at that position.
James Rapien was really big on getting another WR because he worries about injury and not having the money to drop on Higgins and Chase when the time comes. So many WR’s were taken early in this draft that the cupboard got bare quickly. When I look at the depth chart is does get a little scary with Irwin, Taylor, Morgan, and Thomas waiting in the wings. We have three stud starting WRs so it is only a major injury that is going to make us mortal again. I honestly think we can sustain an injury to one of our big 3 and be okay.
Linebacker is also a little thin if you ask me. We have our starters, but Wilson will be coming off of injury and Pratt is entering a contract year. We are hoping that Davis-Gaither continues to develop and stays healthy, but what if he doesn’t? Bachie was a nice addition and back-up, but he is no starter. Markus Bailey has shown flashes but has just been meh. Since we play two linebackers mostly and have 300 safeties now it is clear that they are playing heavy against the pass and allowing the DE’s to help stop the run.
I know that the draft is not meant to pay dividends in year one all of the time, but I feel like the Bengals should have addressed back-up needs a little better. Day 1 and 2 I gave the Bengals an “A” grade but Day 3 really let me down. Overall I am giving the Bengals a C+ for this draft. Make me a fool and an idiot please, but I was rather disappointed.