ArmyBengal

I saw an article where ESPN has a draft predictor for 5 players that are the most likely picks at #18. 1. Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington - 13% 2. Byron Murphy, DT, Texas - 9.84% 3. JC Latham, OT, Alabama - 9.72% 4. Brian Burns, WR, LSU - 7.64% 5. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama - 6.72% So here's just something else to take some time discussing. What say you about those players? It's not that I don't like Fautanu, but he's strictly a LT and I would rather not draft a guy to play a position that he has literally never taken a snap at during his entire college career. I would be good with Murphy. Would definitely be a solid add to the DT rotation, which is needed. In this grouping I think Latham would be my #1 pick and would be happy with this as well. I really like Burns and think he's a #1 in the future, but he's #3 on this list. Again, would not surprise me. Arnold does next to nothing for me. This is my least favorite position to target in the first round. With CTB and DJ Turner likely locking down the starter roles, along with Hilton, Ivey and a probable move for Dax, this screams of another 1st round pick that will likely have little to no impact in his rookie year. I'm really getting sick of that shit.

Here's another anomaly of position as well. Offensive Guard. Not really a position the Bengals look to take in the higher rounds and don't want to pay them either. But WHAT IF, they take an OT in the first round, that can start off at OG his first season, like Whitworth did at LG? If Fuaga was there at #18, I would fully expect him to be the pick and have him competing with Volson for the starting LG spot. If whatshisname only stays for a single season at RT, then Fuaga transitions there the following year. But MAYBE, Fuaga turns out to be an All Pro LG, they leave him there and address RT in next year's draft. Maybe he doesn't beat our Volson and sits behind the new RT, getting only a small amount of reps. So many variables to consider. Trent Brown. Sorry, forgot his name. Not going back to edit.

That's kind of my thought with all this though. Who really knows and whatever your thoughts are, the Bengals probably see it differently. I personally like Latu a lot. He's 6'4, 260, has elite athleticism and has been a top producer for the past two seasons. Do I like him so much that in back to back seasons we take DE in the first round? NO, but that's me. There is certainly the case of, can you really have enough pass rushers? A lot of 6'2 DE's in this draft too. Seems smallish and not what the Bengals typically look for.

Here's another thought to ponder. Even if (that's a no) the Bengals and I happened to rank players exactly the same, just because I wouldn't take the 6th rated OT over the 3rd rated WR (or name your position) doesn't mean the Bengals won't as well. Maybe they value one position more than another (I think they do) or maybe this year they place a higher priority on need versus value. I think those things change from one season to the next to a degree.

This is why, JUST ONCE, I would like to be a fly on the wall of the Bengals draft room. I would love to have information on how and where they ranked guys. I said before, just because I think player X is the 5th best at his position, the Bengals probably see him differently. That difference is why we will or won't see player X get drafted. For example, I saw many outlets widely believe Myles Murphy was a top 10 talent last year heading into the draft. He was rated near the top of the DE class and many times #1. In looking at the 5 DE's that went in the first round last year, I would have rated him #1 as well. No chance he falls to the Bengals, sitting all the way down at #28. Then it happened, 27 teams, three of them that took a DE, passed on Murphy. WHY? To my point, being the fly on the wall would help, but I think it's simply that the Bengals rated him far higher than those teams that even took a DE and when he fell, it was a no brainer for them, even though many saw a TE or OT being taken there.

I went to take a look, because I was just curious, at which of the OT's thought to go in the 1st and 2nd round had the best athletic scores. It reminded me of a Goodberry video (I think) stating that a Bengals issue in drafting OT's is that they haven't drafted guys who scored well athletically. I looked and the average Bengals OT RAS score is 6.34. Anyway, as expected, you find Joe Alt as the #1 OT from an athletic perspective at a massive 9.93. The rest kind of surprised me, but I cannot say with any certainty I know what the variations between high and low are. Tyler Guyton 9.73 Patrick Paul 9.67 Taliese Fuaga 9.63 Troy Fautanu 9.62 Amarius Mims 9.59 Olumuyiwa Fashanu 9.58 Kingsley Suamataia 9.40 Jordan Morgan 9.25 JC Latham (Did not test) What does all that mean and how does it translate? Your guess is as good as mine, but there will probably be a talented OT available in the 2nd round.

Holy shit, I heard that the other night. Not sure why YouTube saw fit to throw that into my recommended listening. Maybe they really do know me better than most !! Fun would be making a playlist of music from that era and slipping that one in the middle without warning !!

Whatever the difference is between what they should and will do is going to be predicated on what happens between picks 1-17 obviously. So while I sit here today and think they should take an OT at #18 and get them a season of working and learning, there are things that play into that. It has been mentioned before and I agree that I don't see them taking a lower ranked OT if all the others have been taken. However, what we think is the 4th or 5th best OT, probably will look different in the Bengals war room. Maybe they have Mims ranked 3rd best OT and he's there, which means they probably pull the trigger, regardless of if I think he's the 6th best OT. So if all the Bengals ranked OT's are gone, I don't see them reaching and I think there's at least a decent chance of that happening when looking at the needs of the teams picking ahead of us. The Giants, Chargers, Saints, Titans, Jets could all go o-line picking ahead of us. If that happens, which way do they go? If all those QB's and OT's go off the board, that's probably going to push a player down to them they were not expecting. Heck that seems to happen every year and the past two point to that with both Dax Hill and Myles Murphy being there when the Bengals pick. Again, I think OT and DT make sense, but won't say any of them NEED to be the pick at #18. I recently brought up WR and the more I think about what might happen, the more it makes sense to me for all the reasons I already gave. The biggest of those would be getting another true #1 they could lock into a rookie deal for the next 5 years. That's exactly what the WR room is going to need after Chase gets paid, so I wouldn't be shocked or upset in the least. I think there will be both OT's and DT's that could come in and get snaps this season, while needing a year to learn the system, get bigger, stronger, heal, or whatever that will be available in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. There will be WR's available later as well, so that can really throw things up in the air at #18 as well. Can't wait to see... ONE WEEK FROM TODAY !!!

Did anyone else see Newton’s pro day attendance ?? A lot of scouts and coaches on hand for that one. Well, except the Bengals sent no one…

Tanking was the answer when Burrow went down. I will admit that there was some enjoyment in seeing them win some games, but this is the price.

Interesting

I think WR is in the mix for a few reasons. 1. There’s likely a true #1 at pick 18, which is uncommon. 2. They could address the position and lock it up for the next 5 years, which they need to do with Chase about to get paid. You know… why Tee won’t be back next year. 3. As much as I like Jones and Iosivas, they are no Tee Higgins. Both would still get reps and set them up for the starting slot position in year 3. They got time in last year. 4. Depth. No Boyd means should either Tee or Chase miss a game or two. Jones and Iosivas are now your defacto #2 for however long. Again, I’m not sitting here saying WR is a must have take at #18, but there are certainly reasons why I think the team would go that direction.

I thought CB as well and I don’t think that’s the case moving forward. With the addition of Stone and Bell, along with Battle having a really solid rookie season, I think Dax is looking at a move to CB, which would make things crowded if another is added in the draft. I like the idea of Dax at CB and he certainly got playing time there at Michigan. Again, we never know.

I have been watching a lot of player reviews and there has been a name that has stuck with me for about a month now, but I've never really "truly" given it much thought of happening. I think I have just always made OT the go to pick in the first, so I haven't considered too much more. However, I go back to the debate of "Do we take Chase or Sewell" and many, at least outside this board (and some in), thought there was no way we pass up on the chance to protect Burrow. Then came the pick..... Chase. The Bengals saw him as a true #1 WR and said it really wasn't that hard of a choice for them. It makes me wonder if they look at a guy like Trent Brown and think they don't have to worry about OT for the season (at least in the first round) and take a player at another position? Then the name comes back in again. Higgins is certainly not going to be playing here in 2025 and Boyd isn't coming back this season either. While they have guys like Losivas and Chuck Sizzle, who I like a lot, neither of them are a true #1. I give you my non-OT first round pick: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU. Sure, there are LSU commonalities, but this kid could be a true #1 as well. Adding him to the mix would allow the Bengals to move guys around more and get Chase some more reps in the slot, which presents some really great matchups for him. While the addition of Mike Gesicki might preclude that thought, since he has lined up a lot in the slot even as a TE, the Bengals would have a massive arsenal for Burrow and gain the 5th year option for a position that is going to need to have someone on a rookie deal after they pay Chase. I could be wrong, but I'm not dismissing that thought any longer. Feel free to blast away....

It must have been all that time he spent in jail in trying to get back all the "stolen" memorabilia he sold to repay the Goldman family. Oh wait...

I'd trade Tee to Pittsburgh right now. I want this year's 1st and 2nd along with next year's as well. That's my opening bottom-line offer. Outside of that, might I invite the Steelers to go fuck themselves ?? Yeah, that.

Newsflash... The Steelers have just made the determination that on top of giving up draft capital to obtain the services of Tee Higgins, they will actually have to pay him a new contract. It's an unbelievable revelation that has not been thought of or discussed by any other team in the league to this point. The Steelers really are just a step ahead of all the other teams in the league. The next thing you know, the Steelers might get crazy and suggest that when ice melts, it turns into water. CRAZY TALK !!!

Now, for what's really important in today's news... TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE DRAFT !!!

No sense at all.

Not exactly off season news, but fucking hilarious !! https://youtu.be/EbSO7G2GT1w?si=xirQOhhPXv1yjMJ_

No, there will be no casting of stones from my direction either. That's for damn sure !!

My vote to provide public funding can be purchased by those who want it. If a portion of my property taxes are to go into building a new stadium, I want season tickets for the first 5 years free of charge, and not some obscured view shit either. Lower bowl, sidelines, limit two tickets. After that time, I will never pay more than half of whatever the going rate is for a face value ticket for any event held at the new stadium. Again, limit two tickets. EDIT -- 50% off concessions as well for the duration. This offer would only be for residents of Hamilton County capable of voting, so no one under 18. Sign in with a valid ID, vote "YES", and opt into your tickets. Any "NO" vote would not be eligible for the tickets should the measure pass. That's my offer Hamilton County. Outside of that, they can suck my ass.

I wasn't aware he was known for drinking or that it actually had to be addressed at the combine. Him assuring teams it was over, only to get a DUI, is damning. Yeah, off draft boards for sure. Calling Maason Smith from LSU. I like him a lot as well. Just don't let him celebrate a play on the field.

Or maybe knocks him down a round or two. Stupid mistake to make but one that can be overcome. I’d gladly take him in the 3rd.

The Reds are young and I don’t think they are going to suck, but the NL Central has some really solid teams in it. They are a fun team to watch.