Fixing the Bengals in one draft

[ArmyBengal]

I'm staying on Trey for another post here.

I've heard from damn near everyone evaluating this draft that you can find starters at Safety, Guard, and even Defensive End in the 2nd and maybe the 3rd round.  If that's the case, having those additional picks allows for a true Best Player Available in the first round. All of a sudden, if Jeanty falls (even though I don't care for him) that's reasonable.  If you want a linebacker (even with the shoulder) Campbell doesn't hurt feelings.  You know the Bengals seemingly always draft a WR, now a 2nd or 3rd round stud doesn't offend you so much.  Bottomline is it frees up the way the team approaches the draft, adds MORE talent, while simultaneously saving a shit ton in each of the next few seasons in not paying Trey.

Ok, I think I'm done now...

[HoosierCat]

One thing to consider is just where there are still holes. If you take the FAs who left or weren't resigned or (in Hubbard's case) hung 'em up, then look at the FAs signed to replace them, they are still short one CB, S, DE and DT, and two OT.

Of those, the DE (Sam). CB (Hilton) and S (Bell) were (or at least were expected to be) starters or key contributors. The DT (Tufele) and tackles (Smith and Brown) were reserves.

So if I were betting, I would put my money on them drafting to fill most or all of these six spots, with the premium picks most likely to go to the edge, secondary and OL (since there are 2 open spots). 

[ArmyBengal]

DT Rankins is now in Houston as well.

[HoosierCat]

2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

DT Rankins is now in Houston as well.

Right. But they signed Slaton so they’re only -1 at DT.

[ArmyBengal]

Oh yeah... Slaton.
I forgot about him.
Good?

[AMPHAR]

 They have 1 clear OL spot.  Whether it be G or T depends on how you classify Ford who has played both.   A 2nd add would have to move someone who might have been thinking roster spot.

I think they have 2 clear DL spots without disrupting the room. 

RB, WR, TE adds would most likely have to displace someone considered to be on the roster.

CB - An add there removes someone considered on the roster or pushes them to S.  Might already be happening.

I'm not sure about LB or S, now after the Newton news.  I think it could either lend them going heavy at CB and using one CB to in a Safety role as needed.   That could also fall the other way in LB.   There's just not a whole lot of difference between coverage LB and S now a days.    An add at either S or LB probably moves someone off.

QB - probably set.  Specials - set. 

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

While adding and subtracting those players that come or go is a way to view it, obviously it doesn't end there.
(This is not directed at any board member here, just chatting away into the internet universe)

Meaning that while they started week 1 last year with 10 D-linemen, there's no guarantee they will do that this year.
Additionally, there is constant churn at the bottom of the roster.  If they take a DE in round 1 or 2 and they already have the 5 DE's they did to start last year on the roster, someone is toast.  I'm not ever going to say, well we have "x" amount at this position, so we won't take anyone there.

Minus a couple positions, I think damn near every position is up for a potential upgrade.
I could make the argument that Logan "Wildside" at QB was camp fodder and won't be around.  Couple that with Jake Browning being a free agent in 2026 and maybe the Bengals draft their future back up QB and carry 3 and go short somewhere else.  Do I think that's going to happen?  NOPE, but it wouldn't be out of the question if they thought the right guy was there when they went on the clock.

It's no different than hearing people make the claim the Bengals "could" take a TE at #17.  Could they?  Sure.  Are there TE's worthy of being taken at #17?  Yes.  Is that the smart thing for the Bengals to do?  FUCK NO !!!  That doesn't mean it won't happen.

[AMPHAR]

Just time to turn in the draft cards and order a large pizza.   I really wish they would push this draft up to after final 4 weekend.   Just a huge gap between the end of FA and draft weekend.

 

[ArmyBengal]

Waiting too long for the draft to take place? 
I VIVIDLY recall 2014 when the first round didn't happen until May 8th.
That sucked all kinds of ass !!

[HoosierCat]

ESPN's Pete Schrager does his one and only mock of the season, based on his sources around the league.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/_/id/44790164/2025-nfl-mock-draft-peter-schrager-first-round-predictions-32-picks-trades-buzz-qbs-sanders-ward-dart

With several of the names commonly mocked to Cincy -- Campbell, Banks, Booker, Nolen -- gone, he has the Bengals going with Mike Green at 17. For whatever reason, the way this draft falls feels about right to me, and if they have to take an edge at 17 (and I think they will) Green is the one I dislike the least.

[HoosierCat]

Dehner looks at the possibility of a trade down.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6300582/2025/04/23/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-draft-trade-for-picks/

tl;dr not likely to happen in the first, but very possible in round 2. They have traded down five times (and up once) in the second in the last eight drafts. So just for kicks, I decided to look at how those trades down worked out.

• In 2017, the dropped from 41 (where they could have had Dalvin Cook) to 48 where they took Mixon. So OK there. They picked up a 4th (128) for their troubles, which became WR Josh Malone, aka, who? So nothing lost, but nothing gained either.
• In 2018, they dropped from 46 to 54, in return for coming up from 100 to 77. So no extra picks, just a double swap. 54 turned into Jesse Bates, so A+ there, and 77 was Sam Hubbard, another A+ who would probably not have lasted to 100. This easily has to be one of the best draft trades in Bengals history.
• In 2019, they traded pick 42 for picks 52, 125 and 182. Those turned into Sample, Renell Wren and Trayveon Williams. Not horrible or anything, but nothing to light off fireworks about either.
• In 2021 they coughed up 38 for 46, 122 and 139. They could have had everyone's favorite FA OL this year, Tevan Jenkins, at 38, but instead at 46 they took Jackson Carman. Insert sad trombone sound here. 122 was Tyler Shelvin (reprise sad trombone sound here) and 139 was D'Ane Smith (trombone trifecta). I would have to call that a poor trade.
• Finally in 2023 they slipped from 92 to 95 and added 217. 95 became Jordan Battle and 217 was Brad Robbins. Battle has been decent and Robbins might still be here if it weren't for injury. Basically a nothingburger.

So to sum up, hands down the best trade was one that didn't actually give them any extra picks, just a higher selection in a later round. In the other five instances they picked up six extra picks and the best selection was Trayveon Williams.

[ArmyBengal]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

ESPN's Pete Schrager does his one and only mock of the season, based on his sources around the league.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/_/id/44790164/2025-nfl-mock-draft-peter-schrager-first-round-predictions-32-picks-trades-buzz-qbs-sanders-ward-dart

With several of the names commonly mocked to Cincy -- Campbell, Banks, Booker, Nolen -- gone, he has the Bengals going with Mike Green at 17. For whatever reason, the way this draft falls feels about right to me, and if they have to take an edge at 17 (and I think they will) Green is the one I dislike the least.

Like him, I think people aren't as concerned about the "maturity issues" with Walter Nolen as is being made.
Honestly, an interior pass rush specialist like him is something I could see the Bengals going after if he were there.
I'm not saying that would be my favorite way to go, but I'm expecting a DT at some point so you never know.

Also, if Mason Graham were to fall to #13, I would hope like hell the Bengals were trying to move up.

Mike Green?  I don't think my concern, as mentioned, would be what Trey Hendrickson would think about the pick or if it were fair, whatever that really matters, but rather making sure the sexual assault charges aren't factual.  There was one in high school which was quickly closed.  Not sure why, but if it was quick, I'm not as concerned.  The second one was in 2022 while at Virginia.  That charge has never gone anywhere and he has never even been questioned about it.  Of course he claims it was a total misrepresentation of him and he vehemently denies the allegations.  If that's all worked through, he's a go at #17 without a doubt, but they better have done their research on him.  He makes me nervous because of that and he doesn't typically fit what the Bengals look for.  Biggest being him playing for Marshall against lower competition.  The two hardest games they had were against VT and Ohio State.  He had 2 sacks against VT and another 1 against Ohio State for what it's worth.

Looking at who else was on the board, I noticed Nick Emmanwori wasn't in the first round.  Ok, but if he actually falls to the top of the 2nd round, I would again hope the Bengals would be trying to move up and grab him.  Coming away with Mike Green and Nick Emmanwori would be about as much as you could ask for.

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, he also has Harmon falling out of the first too. Given Duke’s remarks about wanting more picks, tho, I don’t see them trading up. But this would push down some other good DTs and safeties.

[AMPHAR]

Bengals won't risk character with the fist pick.   Any round after that its game on.   So if Mike Green's the pick they exhausted just about every avenue of the allegations and are fine with it.  If they aren't he won't be the pick unless he's there in the 2nd round.

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

I any of those names...
Emmanwori, Harmon, or Green fall into the 2nd round, the chances of them falling to #49 are next to nothing.
If so, that would be a gift from God that should see someone racing (I don't think they do that anymore) to the podium.

[HoosierCat]

 

[ArmyBengal]

His Bengals section is spot on.

[HoosierCat]

FWIW I skimmed through Lap and Hoard’s podcast on da site earlier today, and Lap, who usually has a good feel for what they’re doing, was weirdly all in on Will Campbell. Obviously he won’t be there at 17 but I have to wonder if it’s not a sign they are seriously huffing OL glue early. Smoke? I dunno, but it’s a data point at least.

[Stripes]

I think the only [likely] player that I would really dislike at 17 is Shemar Stewart. I would be iffy about Tyler Booker. They're the right positions, but I get skeeved by the players.

It's a crapshoot anyway. Maybe they'll be all-pros.

[COB]

16 hours ago, AMPHAR said:

Just time to turn in the draft cards and order a large pizza.   I really wish they would push this draft up to after final 4 weekend.   Just a huge gap between the end of FA and draft weekend.

 

Yep, takes forever and takes some of the fun out of it.  It gets a bit stale.  Mr. Gorbachev, move up this draft!

[ArmyBengal]

On 4/17/2025 at 8:20 AM, ArmyBengal said:

I have seen and done a few mocks recently that had Shemar Stewart falling.  I never really considered him as he was always going in the top 10.  I looked into it and am completely baffled.  Here's a guy that's 6'5, 267lbs and has a perfect 10 RAS score.  On the other hand, he's never had more than 1.5 sacks in a year and a total of 4.5 in his three college seasons.  Only 65 combined tackles in all three seasons as well?  It's about as underwhelming as one can get from a production standpoint.

He also led his team in tackles for loss had 42 QB pressures and had the best "seconds to pressure" in all of college football last season at 2.43 seconds.  Is the potential enough to consider him?  I've long heard that coaches really want to see the production at the college level.

Really strange prospect...

Like I said above, really strange.

Probably hating it less than everyone here, while not loving it.

Lets see what they do in the 2nd…

[ArmyBengal]

I want to love what they have done through the first three rounds but I’m very blah about the whole thing.

As fans we fall in love with certain players and simply expect the team is going to see it the same way, but that’s just not reality.

They addressed DE, LB and OG.
When looking at that, there’s a lot to be excited about. Then you see the names and you left wanting more.

it will be interesting to see how it all turns out, but in comparison we could have had a draft that looked like:

1st round- LB Jihaad Campbell
2nd round- DE Mike Green
3rd round- S Kevin Winston

Hell there are a handful of other variations I would have preferred to what we got. Green, Ratledge and Winston and even more. We just have to put all faith in what Golden wants to do with the defense and how waiting on the OG position works out.

I wanted to come away feeling they killed it and I don’t. Maybe they all prove me wrong.

Go new kids !!