2020 Draft

[membengal]

30 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

He’s basically a wide receiver.

I’d rather have an actual WR then.

like this guy, despite what wraith says:

 

[membengal]

38 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

Considering Eifert is a free agent and Sample was a wasted pick, the TE cupboard is pretty bare.
Giving Burrow a nice compliment wouldn't be a bad idea.  I like some of the guys in this draft.

Top 3 priority ??  No, but a consideration depending on how the board falls I would think.
I've typically been including one in my mock drafts.

They remain high in Sample and it often takes TE picks a few years to settle in. Uzomah is a pro. Shreck and Franks still here and cethan Carter a special teams staple. Not bare.

[AMPHAR]

I want a lineman pick 33, but agree no reaching.   Before Free Agency starts there are needs a plenty and just need to grab the best player and go with it.  

 

[membengal]

 

[Stripes]

The last time the Bengals reached for a lineman they ended up with Billy Price.

[membengal]

22 minutes ago, Stripes said:

The last time the Bengals reached for a lineman they ended up with Billy Price.

And Ogbuehi before that. Just saying.

[ArmyBengal]

If they don't bring in an OT or OG in free agency, they pretty much put themselves in a bad spot.
Hope someone is there at the top of the 2nd that isn't a reach or start praying the talent doesn't fall off that much by the 3rd.

Hope and pray is still alive and well in Cincinnati !!!

[ArmyBengal]

I did a quick one this morning on TDN and came away with some picks I really liked.

1. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
3. Malik Harrison, LB, Ohio St.
4. Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
5. Trey Adams, OT, Washington
6. Colby Parkinson, TE, Stanford
7. Jon Runyan, OT, Michigan

- The McKinney pick was by far the BPA and I refused to reach at the top of the 2nd.
- I would love to see Harrison added to the LB corps and the perceived talent dropped off in what remained on the board.
- I expect Claypool to jump up the boards after his combine and his size/speed ratio.  I was hoping he would stay under the radar.
- Trey Adams, regardless of injury history is a steal in the 5th round.
- I suppose a CB or even another LB would present as better options in the 6th, but when looking at who was on the board, I liked Parkinson.
- While I typically hate all things Michigan, I like Runyan and figured more the merry at the OT spot.  Depth if nothing else.

These mock drafts shouldn't entertain me as much as they do, but they are a nice break to my hectic days !!!

[membengal]

TDN has shuffled their board and the predictive mock is a bit different this morning - here was my most recent pass at it (me doing the picking for the Bengals):

1. Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Queen, LB, LSU
3. Wilson, OT, Georgia
4. Amik Robertson, CB, La Tech
5. Pittman Jr., WR, USC
6. Duvernay, WR, TX
7. Stone, S, Iowa

I could more than live with that.

[AMPHAR]

Quote

Gotta admit, colleague Daniel Jeremiah's idea that the Ravens draft CB A.J. Green (out of Oklahoma State) and the Bengals draft CB Lamar Jackson (Nebraska) is a fun one.

I think that would be fun too.   From NFL.com

[TJJackson]

I disagree. The need for linemen - the overwhelming need to protect the new guy taking the snaps - at the moment exceeds the need to stick to a BPA strategy. IMO.

[HoosierCat]

Here TJ I did four rounds just for you.

1 Joe Burrow, QB LSU

33 Cesar Ruiz, IOL Michigan

65 Malik Harrison, LB Ohio State

97 Hunter Bryant, TE Washington

[membengal]

I may have to kidnap Hunter Bryant to get you to stop picking him...

[HoosierCat]

42 minutes ago, membengal said:

I may have to kidnap Hunter Bryant to get you to stop picking him...

Never!

[TJJackson]

Joisey, you must be thinking of a different TJ, given that I only see one OL in that list, and to make matters worse, he's an OC, not an ORT

[Wraith]

I have to admit, the more I run this draft simulator the more I want the Bengals to trade out of the #1 slot and bypass QB all together until about the 4th round.

Free Agents are not going to choose Cincinnati willingly.  It's like a guy going to a Trump rally dressed as his favorite My Little Pony.  The image of this team almost as bad as it was in the 90's.  The only way to get the infusion of talent that this team needs is to take this golden opportunity and amass a ton of picks, particularly in THIS draft which is the best overall draft I have ranked in almost 30 years.

With the show Herbet and Love put on in Indy I could legitimately see 4 QBs going in the top 7.  Miami definitely could be sitting there at #5 and have their top three QBs already off the board which would be a disaster for them.  If Miami were to offer #5, #18, and #26 in the 2020 first round and #56 in the second as well as a first next year I would take that deal.

Here is a simulation with the Bengals offering #1 and our sixth rounder to the Dolphins for #5, #18, #26 and #56 as well as the Dolphins last 7th rounder (and not shown in the simulator but a first rounder in 2021 would have to be in the mix).

#5: Isiah Simmons, LB, Clemson: You want to fix your defense.....this is how to do it, the guy can play three positions (four in a pinch) and play them well....he is faster than all but 4 WRs at 6'4" and 230 lbs.

#18: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia:  Imagine Williams at LT and Thomas at RT for the next 5 years....Thomas is a superb technician and would lock down the RT position for a decade.

#26: Grant Delpit, S, LSU: Having Delpit and Simmons manning the middle of the defense will radically change the tone of the defense.

#33: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado: The final piece to our receiving core, big bodied guy that is uber quick and can make short gains big ones.  Can line up at multiple positions.

#56: Netane Muti, OG, Fresno State: Road grader of a RG.

#97: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma:  The guys has won and improved his skill set at every place he has been.  I will take a gamble on greatness with a guy of his character and leadership.

 

Stopping here.....Give Andy Dalton another year.  Give him A.J. Green on the Franchise Tag with Boyd, Ross, and Shenault.  Green and Dalton need to have career years to setup their last big contract so they are well motivated.  You spend 2020 evaluating Hurts, if he doesn't wow you, you have the ammunition to go up in the first round next year, maybe even to #1 to grab Lawrence.  I am, however willing to bet that Hurts comes in and devours the playbook and shows some major improvement and in that case, you spend the draft capital adding pieces to an already loaded young roster.  

My Line is set for the foreseeable future with Jonah Williams at LT, Michael Jordan at LG, Trey Hopkins at Center, Netane Muti at RG, and Andrew Thomas at RT....that is shaping up to be the best O-Line in the NFL.  If you want to argue about Thomas not being there at #18, it is possible but one of the top four Tackles will be....Wills, Wirfs, Thomas, or Beckton...I would take any of them and plug them in (My favorite is Wirfs).

On D....I have just ratcheted up the speed to 11.  I have a Swiss Army knife that I can use all over the field with Simmons.  On passing downs I can play him at Safety or bring him off the edge to rush the passer or play him in a 5/2 look with Germaine Pratt.  Forget Delpit's tackling issues, the guy is a major playmaker.....

The only way I see the Bengals getting the infusion of talent necessary to build a Super Bowl caliber team is by passing on a QB early and trading out of #1.  The Dolphins might take this deal because they still get a pick in every round and even the first round next year out of this deal....

 

 

[membengal]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[ArmyBengal]

Again, I take that deal from the Dolphins and don't look back.

That being said, the Dolphins are probably one of the few teams with an equal amount of holes or more than the Bengals.
I don't see there being a snow balls chance in hell they give up that bevy of picks when they could add that same talent to their own roster.
Why pick Burrow and give up the opportunity to add all that talent ??  If i'm the Dolphins, i'm sitting tight and hoarding picks.
Considering all they gave up to get those picks, I would be shocked.

[HoosierCat]

Said it before, will keep saying it: if they take Burrow at No. 1 and move on, that’s fine. If they trade the No. 1 for a king’s ransom, that’s fine too.

Specific to the Miami scenario: again, the very attractiveness of the trade is the strongest argument it won’t happen.

One last thought on a trade scenario. If something like what Wraith sketches were the deal, the Bengals would have a very short window. If all those guys perform as advertised, they will collectively be commanding way more money in 4-5 years than the Bengals will be willing (or possibly able) to part with. Spacing out the talent acquisition means we keep more good players longer, at least in theory.

Oh, and one last, last thought: if they pass on Burrow, fans will burn down PBS. So there’s that.

[membengal]

The last part is real. This franchise needs Burrow in ways that other franchises don't. 

[HoosierCat]

20 minutes ago, membengal said:

The last part is real. This franchise needs Burrow in ways that other franchises don't. 

Oh, I agree. And I’m sure the team knows it, which is why I don’t expect a trade.

[HoosierCat]

So given the news they’re apparently going for a makeover at corner, and targeting both CB and WR on day 2, here’s four new rounds:

1 Joe Burrow, QB LSU

33 Trevon Diggs, CB Alabama

65 Jalen Reagor, WR TCU

97 Alohi Gilman, S Notre Dame

Diggs was a bit of a reach at 33 but that’s the kind of thing this team does to itself. Reagor was BPA at 65 so that slotted in nicely. Gilman I’m interested in a nickel backer.

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, Wraith said:

I have to admit, the more I run this draft simulator the more I want the Bengals to trade out of the #1 slot and bypass QB all together until about the 4th round.

Free Agents are not going to choose Cincinnati willingly.  It's like a guy going to a Trump rally dressed as his favorite My Little Pony.  The image of this team almost as bad as it was in the 90's.  The only way to get the infusion of talent that this team needs is to take this golden opportunity and amass a ton of picks, particularly in THIS draft which is the best overall draft I have ranked in almost 30 years.

With the show Herbet and Love put on in Indy I could legitimately see 4 QBs going in the top 7.  Miami definitely could be sitting there at #5 and have their top three QBs already off the board which would be a disaster for them.  If Miami were to offer #5, #18, and #26 in the 2020 first round and #56 in the second as well as a first next year I would take that deal.

Here is a simulation with the Bengals offering #1 and our sixth rounder to the Dolphins for #5, #18, #26 and #56 as well as the Dolphins last 7th rounder (and not shown in the simulator but a first rounder in 2021 would have to be in the mix).

#5: Isiah Simmons, LB, Clemson: You want to fix your defense.....this is how to do it, the guy can play three positions (four in a pinch) and play them well....he is faster than all but 4 WRs at 6'4" and 230 lbs.

#18: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia:  Imagine Williams at LT and Thomas at RT for the next 5 years....Thomas is a superb technician and would lock down the RT position for a decade.

#26: Grant Delpit, S, LSU: Having Delpit and Simmons manning the middle of the defense will radically change the tone of the defense.

#33: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado: The final piece to our receiving core, big bodied guy that is uber quick and can make short gains big ones.  Can line up at multiple positions.

#56: Netane Muti, OG, Fresno State: Road grader of a RG.

#97: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma:  The guys has won and improved his skill set at every place he has been.  I will take a gamble on greatness with a guy of his character and leadership.

 

Stopping here.....Give Andy Dalton another year.  Give him A.J. Green on the Franchise Tag with Boyd, Ross, and Shenault.  Green and Dalton need to have career years to setup their last big contract so they are well motivated.  You spend 2020 evaluating Hurts, if he doesn't wow you, you have the ammunition to go up in the first round next year, maybe even to #1 to grab Lawrence.  I am, however willing to bet that Hurts comes in and devours the playbook and shows some major improvement and in that case, you spend the draft capital adding pieces to an already loaded young roster.  

My Line is set for the foreseeable future with Jonah Williams at LT, Michael Jordan at LG, Trey Hopkins at Center, Netane Muti at RG, and Andrew Thomas at RT....that is shaping up to be the best O-Line in the NFL.  If you want to argue about Thomas not being there at #18, it is possible but one of the top four Tackles will be....Wills, Wirfs, Thomas, or Beckton...I would take any of them and plug them in (My favorite is Wirfs).

On D....I have just ratcheted up the speed to 11.  I have a Swiss Army knife that I can use all over the field with Simmons.  On passing downs I can play him at Safety or bring him off the edge to rush the passer or play him in a 5/2 look with Germaine Pratt.  Forget Delpit's tackling issues, the guy is a major playmaker.....

The only way I see the Bengals getting the infusion of talent necessary to build a Super Bowl caliber team is by passing on a QB early and trading out of #1.  The Dolphins might take this deal because they still get a pick in every round and even the first round next year out of this deal....

 

 

Why would the Dolphins trade at this point?     Tua is trending towards healthy.   Herbert AND Love have improving stock right now.   They are in prime position to get a Good QB and have picks to build.

The next best trade partner appears to be Raiders and their highest pick is 12. 

I say the mega trade hopes are dead,  no team is going to be willing or able to pony up enough to make it worth while to pass on Burrow.

 

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

Said it before, will keep saying it: if they take Burrow at No. 1 and move on, that’s fine. If they trade the No. 1 for a king’s ransom, that’s fine too.

Specific to the Miami scenario: again, the very attractiveness of the trade is the strongest argument it won’t happen.

One last thought on a trade scenario. If something like what Wraith sketches were the deal, the Bengals would have a very short window. If all those guys perform as advertised, they will collectively be commanding way more money in 4-5 years than the Bengals will be willing (or possibly able) to part with. Spacing out the talent acquisition means we keep more good players longer, at least in theory.

Oh, and one last, last thought: if they pass on Burrow, fans will burn down PBS. So there’s that.

Key point.   It's a scenario the Browns didn't factor into during their sell off and trade down approach.   You have 4 years to hit it or all those guys hit the market and you'll only be able to retain a portion of them.   

The Browns have essentially wasted 2 years of a "window" with coaching changes.  in 2 years they will be forced to pick and choose who to extend and not. 

Grabbing a QB out of the first round speeds up that time table because you don't get the first round option 5th year.

[Stripes]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

Oh, and one last, last thought: if they pass on Burrow, fans will burn down PBS. So there’s that.

I've already started prospecting the forests around Hocking Hills for the mass tinder and kindling I will need just in case.