TJJackson Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 First three rounds Pass rushing DT Pass blocking ORT 3-down TE Not necessarily in that order. Of those three I'd prefer the ORT be first Need to get a quality quarterback to groom as QB2 over the course of 2024 because Jake WILL be gone in 2025 and Burrow has proven to be injury prone at this point Need another punter. Again. Need a new Center to groom. Hill sucks. BPA otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 17 Author Report Share Posted January 17 My latest go over at pff: 18: HEY KOOL-AID!!! The 2024 draft starts off right with a TJ freak out as the Bengals can’t resist another first round corner. We all know how much they lust after first round corners, and there’s no way on god’s green earth they pass up McKinstry if he falls. 49: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn. What?!?! Another DE? Like Murphy last year, Bengals can’t resist when Chop slips to them in the second. And while it seems crazy, consider that Ossai is basically a bust at this point, Hubbard is injured and Hendrickson is only signed through 25 (and they could free up $16 million in cap space in 25 by letting him go). 80: Ruke Orhorhoro, NT, Clemson. Gotta start someplace on the inside. For the third straight year the first three pick go defense. Make or break year for Anarumo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 47 minutes ago, HoosierCat said: My latest go over at pff: 18: HEY KOOL-AID!!! The 2024 draft starts off right with a TJ freak out as the Bengals can’t resist another first round corner. We all know how much they lust after first round corners, and there’s no way on god’s green earth they pass up McKinstry if he falls. 49: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn. What?!?! Another DE? Like Murphy last year, Bengals can’t resist when Chop slips to them in the second. And while it seems crazy, consider that Ossai is basically a bust at this point, Hubbard is injured and Hendrickson is only signed through 25 (and they could free up $16 million in cap space in 25 by letting him go). 80: Ruke Orhorhoro, NT, Clemson. Gotta start someplace on the inside. For the third straight year the first three pick go defense. Make or break year for Anarumo. S U N U V A B I T C H ! ! ! I guess they will slide my dead gramma in at ORT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 At this point, based on current projections, there should be some solid talent available to the Bengals in the first round that would not only be the BPA, but also hit a need for them. Again, at this point, it is looking like there should also still be starter quality guys at both RT and DT into the 2nd round. I wouldn’t take issue with a CB like McKinstry in the first either. Awuzie looks terrible this year and Turner coming on in his 2nd year is no guarantee, but I also won’t complain in them giving him the chance to do that and pass up CB early. I was thinking TE early again, but I think it can now wait. I really like Tanner Hudson and want him to start camps as TE1. Burrow loves him as well and they had something going before the injury. With damn near every TE, being a FA, they have to backfill at some point. Right now I’m still firmly in with DT, Jer’zahn Newton, Illinois with our first round pick. Unless someone happens to fall at RT, my next in line in the first is RT, Amarius Mims, Georgia should Newton be gone. I’m still not much past the 4th round in looking at prospects yet. Slow year… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 Since I’m up for some stupid reason at 4:30am, of course this conversation prompted at mock draft. This is kind of what I’m talking about, although on a side note, if Higgins is gone, WR2 jumps up the priority list in my opinion. #18- Amarius Mims, ORT, Georgia #49- Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas #80- Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida St. #111- Jared Wiley, TE, TCU Maybe grab a CB somewhere in the 4th? Who knows, but LB is probably in there later as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 18 Author Report Share Posted January 18 If PFF is at all on the mark, this looks like a draft that will fall really well for the defense. Not that there won't be an offensive tackle or wide receiver you could easily justify at 18, but man the corners and edge guys who could be there look mighty tasty. And second/third rounds have a lot of interior DL prospects. I think that if I'm the Bengals and their draft board starts looking the same way, I'm thinking hard about two general strategies. 1. Can you trade down and put yourself in a better position to draft on the offensive side? Last two years have seen 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds spent on defense, and well, we saw what we saw there this year. You can make the argument that you really need some vet (aka FA) help there, not more noobs. 2. If you can't/don't want to trade, fine, go D-heavy again in the draft and use your cap dollars to go after a vet RT, vet TE (schultz is a popular pick), vet RB if you don't like Mixon anymore, etc. Best defense is a good offense and all that, let's score 50 a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 I could be wrong, but maybe they were looking at the money they are going to be putting out for Burrow, Chase and maybe Higgins and figured they had to go the route of rookie contracts (for the most part) on defense. I don’t know, just speculating. Obviously I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 18 Author Report Share Posted January 18 34 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said: I could be wrong, but maybe they were looking at the money they are going to be putting out for Burrow, Chase and maybe Higgins and figured they had to go the route of rookie contracts (for the most part) on defense. I don’t know, just speculating. Obviously I could be wrong. I’m sure that was part of it. But they have paid guys like Pratt and Hendrickson on the d, too. Bottom line imho is that they need to hit on some picks and get some cheap young talent involved on both sides of the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 Agreed wholeheartedly. They are now in a position where they simply can’t wait a season or two before they get something out of their first and even second round picks. They have to hit to keep this train rolling. I think the changes they have made in their free agency approach are good and I could see a player coming in that will help bolster things as well. Not first day guys that get paid top of the market, just solid to somewhat above average that will help. I just pretend Irv Smith Jr. never happened as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPHAR Posted January 19 Report Share Posted January 19 On 1/18/2024 at 9:26 AM, HoosierCat said: If PFF is at all on the mark, this looks like a draft that will fall really well for the defense. Not that there won't be an offensive tackle or wide receiver you could easily justify at 18, but man the corners and edge guys who could be there look mighty tasty. And second/third rounds have a lot of interior DL prospects. I think that if I'm the Bengals and their draft board starts looking the same way, I'm thinking hard about two general strategies. 1. Can you trade down and put yourself in a better position to draft on the offensive side? Last two years have seen 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds spent on defense, and well, we saw what we saw there this year. You can make the argument that you really need some vet (aka FA) help there, not more noobs. 2. If you can't/don't want to trade, fine, go D-heavy again in the draft and use your cap dollars to go after a vet RT, vet TE (schultz is a popular pick), vet RB if you don't like Mixon anymore, etc. Best defense is a good offense and all that, let's score 50 a game. A lot can change after the pro days etc. But I agree. Where the Bengals are picking there seem to be a bunch of edge and CB players. I'd avoid the trade down unless its a deal you can't refuse. They've played so many Defensive Backs the past 3 years and I don't think the D-line rotation is very deep. If you watch film break down of the ravens, they put your DEs in horrible spots all game long. Just need a bunch of guys that can run and react on the edge. I think that's the direction to go assuming these spots don't get FA dollars. At this point, I would love Chop Robinson in the first, so of course if they grab him in the second that would be awesome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPHAR Posted January 19 Report Share Posted January 19 Snaps for a rookies on this team are going to be tough to win without injuries. Unless they completely sit on their hands in Free Agency. If you want your rookie draft picks to be on the field early, IMO its RT, DT and CB, S are the best bets. 1. WR - Higgins tag. Then Jones and Iosivas they are going to get snaps first to replace Boyd probably 2. OL - Right Tackle - prime spot for snaps here. I don't see any other spot. 3. RB - none except maybe some Special Teams 4. QB - forget it 5. Any DE is going to have to go through Murphy, Ossai, Sample for rotation battles. Then Hubbard and Hendrickson for starting snaps. Some rotational depth is needed. Don't see any rookie coming in and completely beating out any of these guys right away. 6. DT - prime spot for NT snaps. 7. LB - Pratt and Wilson dominate snaps there. Any LB pick is Special Teams. 5. CB - CTB, Turner, Hilton - there will always be snaps available in 4th/5th CB role but you'll have Ivey returning and maybe Chido leaving. 6. Safety - Dax and Battle will get the starting share. 3rd safety up for grabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 19 Report Share Posted January 19 Yes, free agency is really going to be the tell tail sign of what to expect in the draft. Rookie LB's probably won't see many snaps, but damn near every backup LB is an UFA. So they either bring those guys back, which should be that expensive, or get new ones. I don't want another DE early only to have him collect dust on the bench. There are some solid guys, but there will be other solid guys at a position of greater need. It's really too hard to say at this point. Free agency, trades to be made and other things that come into play. That's why I find mock drafts to be pretty pointless. That being said, I love doing them. It's a small addiction for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPHAR Posted January 19 Report Share Posted January 19 Forgot TE - 1. Any play making TE in round 1 would obviously explode to the top of the TE group. Sample (if retained) clearly will have snaps reserved for him in a blocking/release role. Tanner Hudson obviously is the top play maker right now. But I think a top pass receiving TE could get snaps. However, I will say the same thing as I did during the season. You retain the Chase/Higgins/Mixon trio; snaps/targets for TEs, 2nd RBs, 3rd/4th WRs is going to be directly tied to converting 4th downs. You can't work all these parts into the game without snapping the ball. Any opportunity for a TE or 3r/4th WR is going to be driven by coverage focused on Chase/Higgins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 20 Author Report Share Posted January 20 Speaking of TE… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 20 Report Share Posted January 20 I love Bowers, but I don’t think he falls to #18. You never know though. He’s literally a top 10 quality player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 20 Author Report Share Posted January 20 55 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said: I love Bowers, but I don’t think he falls to #18. You never know though. He’s literally a top 10 quality player. Goodberry agrees and says they would have to trade up. He talks about using a third to move up but I think it would probably take at least their second rounder, or a first in 2025. I’m game but I doubt it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 20 Report Share Posted January 20 If they felt strongly enough to make that move, I would support that, but that would be a lot to give up when they are going to need their picks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 20 Author Report Share Posted January 20 1 hour ago, ArmyBengal said: If they felt strongly enough to make that move, I would support that, but that would be a lot to give up when they are going to need their picks. Well, this is the part where you tag and trade Higgins for a second (and hopefully more but at least that) and you cut Mixon to free up more cap space to sign King Henry and then I wake up from my dream because it’s Monday morning and I have to go to work… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPHAR Posted January 22 Report Share Posted January 22 If you tag and trade higgins you have to get multiple top 150 picks for it to make sense, IMO. Otherwise you are just spinning your wheels and running the risk you don't replace Higgins adequately enough. Supposedly the Bengals liked Kincaid (TE Buffalo) with No. 1 draft pick last year but got scooped up by Buffalo but they clearly (rightly or wrongly) did not have other TEs rated over Murphy. I think the Bengals would be open to TE, but is Brock Bowers a Kincaid type TE or a Mayer type? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 22 Report Share Posted January 22 Regarding TE's, I would place a large bet that if Bowers would have been in last years draft, he would be the first TE off the board. Yeah, he's really that good. I would love to see the Bengals take him, but he will be long gone before the 18th pick comes along. We all have seen the tag play out when the Bengals use it. The player walks the next year and we may or may not get a 3rd round comp pick in return, based upon who else they sign in free agency. The thing I hate about that is, you don't get the comp pick until the following year. The WR tag is nearly $22 million, which would place Higgins firmly in the top 15 WR's in the league. If they are willing to pay the tag price, they should be able to work something long term. First and foremost, I love Higgins and love what he brings to this offense. However, I will not simply make the statement that he's a clear #1 on most teams in the league. He appears he could be, but we've all seen players move on to other teams and not have the same type of success. Higgins has been on the field with a tandem consisting of himself, Chase and Boyd. Couple that with an elite QB and a pass catching RB in Mixon in the backfield. Needless to say, there are not many teams loaded like that and his production with a new coach and new system could slip. Obviously, as we've also seen many times, it only takes one team to think he's the absolute MAN and pay him like a top 5 WR and he's gone. I just think there has to be some desire to continue playing with a QB and squad that has played a part in him becoming what he has. I really hope he sticks around on an extension. If not, he's getting the tag for sure. Minus a player in free agency being added, I want the first and second round picks to be DT and RT in either order. That's right, I moved into TJ's annual camp and got the t-shirt. SAY IT TJ !!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 22 Author Report Share Posted January 22 Just to be clear, I don't actually expect a tag & trade for Tee. If they tag him, it will either lead to a long-term deal (I'd give that maybe a 20% chance) or, like Army said, he walks next year. If they did trade him, I am pretty sure it would not be for multiple top 150 picks, though I agree with Amphar that the Bengals would want that. They just aren't going to get it. Jarvis Landry's numbers through his first four years in Miami are on par with Tee's, and all the Fins got when they tagged him and shipped him to Cleveland was a fourth and seventh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 22 Report Share Posted January 22 If they were going to trade Tee, it should have happened THIS year before the trade deadline. Had Burrow gotten hurt earlier, I think they might have considered it. Dont get me wrong, I want him to stay, but if they tag him, he’s gone in 2025. They have historically not worked long term deals or manage a tag and trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 22 Author Report Share Posted January 22 36 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said: If they were going to trade Tee, it should have happened THIS year before the trade deadline. Had Burrow gotten hurt earlier, I think they might have considered it. Dont get me wrong, I want him to stay, but if they tag him, he’s gone in 2025. They have historically not worked long term deals or manage a tag and trade. Yeah, they shot down the trade idea pretty strongly last offseason. In 20/20 hindsight, that was clearly an error. I don’t blame them of course, no one knows the future, but it’s still a kick in the pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 Ok awake at 3:10am for no damn good reason, so of course you do a mock draft. Got a trade in on this one. I trade #18 overall for #27 and #66. #27. Jer’zahn Newton, DT #49. Jordan Morgan, RT #66. TJ Tampa, CB #80. Cade Stover, TE #111. Braelon Allen, RB I can’t see Newton falling that far, but that’s a steal right there. First two picks address needs with best player available, which is dumb luck. With the extra pick from the trade, we bring in some CB help. Stover’s a clutch pass catcher that can make people miss. And then there’s Allen. We need to replace some RB depth and this dude is BIG. I could see him carving out some snaps due to his size and ability. Then again, this might suck. What do I know ?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 20 hours ago, ArmyBengal said: That's right, I moved into TJ's annual camp and got the t-shirt. SAY IT TJ !!! GIMME A LINEMAN ! ! ! ! ! that said, I love this mock. so damn good Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft 1.0 (msn.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.