draft grades by picks

[skyline]

But in the here and now it's a hard draft to like.

No, it's not. I like it. Here. And now.

That was easy.

I don't think there were any life-altering game changers available in the first or second rounds (yes, that includes Dupree). I have no problem with the BPA approach, and feel pretty good that our o-line may be set for the next 5 years.

SET for the next 5 years or only likely to last 5 years?? Ogbeuhi's weak back is, in my mind, a major concern - more so than his ACL.

How did the O rate in the NFL last year compared to the D ?? How have the Bengals addressed this ??

I'm not sure what you're asking here. How did they address the D?

Michael Johnson, Dawson, Shaw, Sims, and a hopefully healthier Geno, plus the hopeful return of Burfict?

As I said earlier, there were no picks in the first two rounds that were going to magically transform this team. On offense, or defense. They stuck to their board.

I agree with injury concerns on Cedric. Not much we can do here, but wait and see. If he comes back healthy and truly is a top-10 talent, then it will be awesome. Or, it will be a bust. Probably not unlike 75% of the other 1st round picks.

[cincyhokie]

But in the here and now it's a hard draft to like.

No, it's not. I like it. Here. And now.

That was easy.

I don't think there were any life-altering game changers available in the first or second rounds (yes, that includes Dupree). I have no problem with the BPA approach, and feel pretty good that our o-line may be set for the next 5 years.

SET for the next 5 years or only likely to last 5 years?? Ogbeuhi's weak back is, in my mind, a major concern - more so than his ACL.

How did the O rate in the NFL last year compared to the D ?? How have the Bengals addressed this ??

I'm not sure what you're asking here. How did they address the D?

Michael Johnson, Dawson, Shaw, Sims, and a hopefully healthier Geno, plus the hopeful return of Burfict?

As I said earlier, there were no picks in the first two rounds that were going to magically transform this team. On offense, or defense. They stuck to their board.

I agree with injury concerns on Cedric. Not much we can do here, but wait and see. If he comes back healthy and truly is a top-10 talent, then it will be awesome. Or, it will be a bust. Probably not unlike 75% of the other 1st round picks.

IMO, too much hoping and wishing here to make much of a difference in what comes down to the pass rush. Honestly, it's less about who they draft and more of who they replace. They need to replace Peko. He gets no, zero, none penetration in passing situations. Could Malcolm Brown have provided that? Maybe. Can Atkins AND Burfict return to form? Can the Bengals play their best talent and stop benching rookies who flash promise and production? i.e. Dennard and Burfict a couple of years ago.

Ultimately, and I think this is a point for a different topic, the Bengals have to do better with managing their roster. There is no way that a player like Peko stays on a team like Pittsburgh or New England. However, the Bengals are loyal to a fault.

[kingwilly]

IMO, too much hoping and wishing here to make much of a difference in what comes down to the pass rush. Honestly, it's less about who they draft and more of who they replace. They need to replace Peko. He gets no, zero, none penetration in passing situations. Could Malcolm Brown have provided that? Maybe. Can Atkins AND Burfict return to form? Can the Bengals play their best talent and stop benching rookies who flash promise and production? i.e. Dennard and Burfict a couple of years ago.

Ultimately, and I think this is a point for a different topic, the Bengals have to do better with managing their roster. There is no way that a player like Peko stays on a team like Pittsburgh or New England. However, the Bengals are loyal to a fault.

I agree fully. Might as well add Hall to the list. I give them credit for moving on from Geathers, about 3 years too late. But the point is accurate. Loyal to a fault. Can't see any valid reason they didn't re-work Hall's deal. He's not the same player he was. It's not speculation to think he's only going to decline further, it's simple human physiology. They got luck to have gotten so much from Newman, who fell off big at the end of last year, luckily they had Dre ready to go in his place. Hall should have been sitting after the Brown's loss forward.

IN this drat, there were NUMEROUS defensive players who could have been considered likely to get them over the hump - Brown, Ray, Collins, Dupree, Gregory. Any of those would have improved the quality of the group they'd have been added. By taking only OTs in r1 and r2, I now see a team more concerned with salary cap management than working to improve the team's chances to go deep in the playoffs. They are so afraid of having to spend massive cash on AJ Green, I'll go on the record now in saying they'll let him walk, citing bad local economy, not enough sell outs, rising cost of milk and eggs, limited production (mostly diue to Dalton), and Green goes somewhere that spends big, like DC, and get the record breaking deal.

[skyline]

Drafting a DT would have been nice, and I think the Bengals likely had some on their radar early. Jordan Phillips, for example, who went one pick before them. I still don't think any of them are game-changing get-you-over-the-hump type of guys, though.

And who's to say that Dawson or their 4th rounder won't do similar things for them? Geno was a 4th rounder, after all. Marcus Hardison reminds me a lot of Geno, with the way he came to the senior bowl and wrecked everyone around him.

Anyway, regarding the draft , they like who they like and they stuck to their board. Good for them.

[cincyhokie]

Drafting a DT would have been nice, and I think the Bengals likely had some on their radar early. Jordan Phillips, for example, who went one pick before them. I still don't think any of them are game-changing get-you-over-the-hump type of guys, though.

And who's to say that Dawson or their 4th rounder won't do similar things for them? Geno was a 4th rounder, after all. Marcus Hardison reminds me a lot of Geno, with the way he came to the senior bowl and wrecked everyone around him.

Anyway, regarding the draft , they like who they like and they stuck to their board. Good for them.

Overall, I liked the draft too. I'm not really concerned that the Bengals can't draft good players. They've been one of the better teams in the draft the last 5-6 years. I'm more concerned that Hardison is a stud but we won't find out until Peko's wheels fall off. Then we're left wondering what could have been after we lose in the playoffs again because this team isn't built for a shoot out.

That's my biggest worry.

[Kazkal]

Overall I'm happy with the entire draft could been better sure but for most part we hit positions of need we got future replacements for aging spots etc