HoosierCat Posted October 7 Report Posted October 7 Nothing like some Bengals draft talk in October, right? Ryan Wilson at cbs hits us with his second mock of the season (Halloween?). https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/wilsons-2026-nfl-mock-draft-2-0-qb-class-runs-deep-but-theres-no-burrow-lawrence-or-williams-in-sight/ With the second overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (Fla). Quote Rueben Bain Jr. is an explosive, violent edge rusher with rare power and bend, capable of turning the corner from wide alignments and overwhelming tackles with speed-to-power. He wins with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves -- from bull rushes to inside counters -- and plays with exceptional contact balance and hand usage to shed blocks both as a rusher and run defender. Relentlessly disruptive and highly explosive off the snap, Bain consistently collapses pockets, sets a firm edge and makes impact plays from whistle to whistle. So the third first round DE in four years. Sounds about right. Maybe third time is the charm. If they do pick this high, I think I would prefer a trade down. But we’ll see. Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 7 Author Report Posted October 7 May as well take a trip around the mock-o-sphere. Here’s TDN: Quote 8. Cincinnati Bengals Spencer Fano, OT, Utah The Cincinnati Bengals have the worst pass-blocking win-rate in the NFL, according to ESPN Analytics. The eye test indicates the same. Here, they draft Spencer Fano to help protect the oft-injured Joe Burrow next season. Fano is a technically polished prospect with instant starter capabilities. Walter: Quote 4. Cincinnati Bengals: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson The Bengals have severe issues throughout their defense, so taking the best player on that side of the ball makes sense. Peter Woods is a disruptive interior lineman. Tankathon: 9. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla) Yahoo (McDonald/Tice) also have them taking Mauigoa but at 19. (lol) https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/2026-nfl-mock-draft-10-an-edge-defender-goes-no-1-and-4-qbs-follow-him-in-the-top-10-220558890.html USA Today: Quote 19. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon Cincinnati went with one of the most athletic edge rushers in the class last draft with Shemar Stewart. They balance that with Uiagalelei, a high-floor rusher with lots of production against top competition. He's notched four sacks on 100 pass rush snaps so far in 2025. His first step is what NFL evaluators want to see and his bend is an asset off the edge. He'll need to improve against double-teams. The Athletic Quote 10. Cincinnati Bengals: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon This might be a bit high for World, who is just four games into his Oregon career after transferring from Nevada. But the hyper-athletic 6-8, 320-pounder is off to a strong start — he’s yet to give up a sack and has yielded just four pressures in four games. A former basketball player who is still fine-tuning his technique, World shows violent hands in the run game and has great potential at either right or left tackle. There is is: a reach for a project OT at 10! That’s the pick for sure! Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 7 Author Report Posted October 7 And finally, PFF’s mock draft simulator is up and running for 2026. They have us at 9 right now. Just took the top player available on each spot and got: 9. Bain 41. TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon 73. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (there’s your competition, Amphar!) Quote
ArmyBengal Posted October 7 Report Posted October 7 Not even I want to consider this right now. That's saying something. Maybe it's the lack of faith that even if they make a good pick, it won't matter. Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 15 Author Report Posted October 15 ESPN's Jordan Reid demonstrates that he understands how the Bengals FO thinks and makes an appropriately groan-inducing pick at No. 10 in his first mock of the season Quote Peter Woods, DT, Clemson* The Bengals could address their offensive line here, but Woods would provide a penetrating presence in the middle of the defense, too. Cincinnati took edge rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 draft, and Woods could pair with him as a difference-maker on the inside as the Bengals build toward the future. Woods has only 0.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss this season, but his high-end traits should translate into an impact player at the next level. Yes, that's right, another defensive lineman with lousy college production but "high-end traits." For this he has them passing on OT Francis Mauigoa, generally seen as the No. 2 OT prospect with great potential to move to RG, i.e. our most gaping hole on the oline. He goes to Houston at 11, so I guess that will be of some consolation to Army. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted October 15 Report Posted October 15 I actually have been putting some thought to the draft already. It's just more intriguing to me than this season. I'm of the line of thought that they really need to figure out their pending free agents for 2026 and 2027. Of course, #1 in that is Trey and the DE position. I think he is gone and don't think the Bengals want to pay him. Ossai is also an UFA next year, along with Sample. Murphy is Murphy and Stewart is a question still at this point. A worsening pass rush is the last thing the defense needs in 2026 and why I think DE is the top target next year. Again, free agency may dictate something different. Do they bring in someone? Sign one of their own? A combination? Not only that, at least how it stands now, I think the OT class isn't what past drafts have been and the 2nd round looks better. The reason I say looking at 2027 is because Orlando will be an UFA that year and they could plan for his departure as well. Maybe draft a future LT capable of playing guard for a year and see how that transpires, sort of what they did with Whit. Guard and Center are both going to need to be looked at with Volson, Patrick and Risner all on one year deals. Karras will be up again and will be 33. What do they have in Matt Lee and Seth McLaughlin? Honestly, if McLaughlin is healthy, he may present a solid option. Not sure on Lee at this point despite him being the #2. If the season continues to go south, I want to see both of them to get a better idea of where we are. Next, for the love of God make any attempt to improve the CB position. Free agency is going to be expensive there. I would suspect another shot at CB early on as well, so maybe pencil that in for the 3rd round. I'm done with CTB and him and Marco Wilson are UFA's. Dax, Turner and Ivey are up in 2027 as well. An outlier in my mind is the safety spot. Stone, Anderson and Jules are all UFA's next year and Battle in 2027. Depending how the other needs shake out, safety could shoot right up there with little thought in my opinion. A true playmaker in the back of the secondary can make a HUGE impact for the whole defense. Not tying up more cap space with a Trey deal allows a hell of a lot more flexibility and thought for 2026. I'm not prepared to plug players into spots at this point, but that's what I'm thinking today for what it's worth... Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 15 Author Report Posted October 15 Sikkema over at PFF with his first. https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2026-nfl-mock-draft-jets-ty-simpson-cowboys-caleb-downs Quote 7. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4): G Gennings Dunker, Iowa I am higher on Dunker than most, but a big reason for that is that I am projecting him to guard at the NFL level, as opposed to the tackle position he plays right now at Iowa. With the Hawkeyes, Dunker really moves people off the ball with a 90.2 run-blocking grade in 2024 and a 76.9 run-blocking grade this season. He’s listed at 6-foot-5, which is why they play him at tackle, but you can see he isn’t overly comfortable on an island blocking against finesse rushers. A move to guard will maximize his imposing strength and run blocking impact while mitigating his weaknesses in pass protection as a tackle. Has him as the first OL off the board. Not the one I would have picked but it's always a crapshoot and I couldn't really complain. Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 15 Author Report Posted October 15 2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said: I actually have been putting some thought to the draft already. It's just more intriguing to me than this season. I'm of the line of thought that they really need to figure out their pending free agents for 2026 and 2027. Of course, #1 in that is Trey and the DE position. I think he is gone and don't think the Bengals want to pay him. Ossai is also an UFA next year, along with Sample. Murphy is Murphy and Stewart is a question still at this point. A worsening pass rush is the last thing the defense needs in 2026 and why I think DE is the top target next year. Again, free agency may dictate something different. Do they bring in someone? Sign one of their own? A combination? Not only that, at least how it stands now, I think the OT class isn't what past drafts have been and the 2nd round looks better. The reason I say looking at 2027 is because Orlando will be an UFA that year and they could plan for his departure as well. Maybe draft a future LT capable of playing guard for a year and see how that transpires, sort of what they did with Whit. Guard and Center are both going to need to be looked at with Volson, Patrick and Risner all on one year deals. Karras will be up again and will be 33. What do they have in Matt Lee and Seth McLaughlin? Honestly, if McLaughlin is healthy, he may present a solid option. Not sure on Lee at this point despite him being the #2. If the season continues to go south, I want to see both of them to get a better idea of where we are. Next, for the love of God make any attempt to improve the CB position. Free agency is going to be expensive there. I would suspect another shot at CB early on as well, so maybe pencil that in for the 3rd round. I'm done with CTB and him and Marco Wilson are UFA's. Dax, Turner and Ivey are up in 2027 as well. An outlier in my mind is the safety spot. Stone, Anderson and Jules are all UFA's next year and Battle in 2027. Depending how the other needs shake out, safety could shoot right up there with little thought in my opinion. A true playmaker in the back of the secondary can make a HUGE impact for the whole defense. Not tying up more cap space with a Trey deal allows a hell of a lot more flexibility and thought for 2026. I'm not prepared to plug players into spots at this point, but that's what I'm thinking today for what it's worth... No real arguments to any of this, I have a lot of the same questions. And one more: QB. The No. 2 spot will be open next year. Draft a prospect? Sign a vet? And if things continue to go south and the end comes for Zac in January, a new No. 1 is not out of the question, especially if they are drafting top 5. To be clear, I don't expect that to happen, but if they do saddle up for one more Taylor+Burrow campaign in 2026 and it doesn't win a championship...then I can see them blowing it all up in '27. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted October 15 Report Posted October 15 Funny to be sitting here today considering a new "New Guy" at the QB spot, but there are worse things a team can do that go that route. I'd rather be proactive and have the future QB1 sitting on the bench than reactive and drafting the next Johnny Fuckface. I love Burrow, but the injuries are mounting and despite the 2-0 start this year, he still wasn't clicking prior to the injury. Crazy to think that Flacco has more passing yards and equal TD's in his one game, with 4 days of prep, than Burrow had in two games with an entire camp. That just doesn't make sense to me. It makes me think the reason for the slow start falls more and more on the shoulders of Burrow. They have adjusted damn near everything to improve that problem area and here is a perfect example to consider. I could be wrong, but my wheels are turning. 1 Quote
TJJackson Posted October 15 Report Posted October 15 I too want a qb early, and since they seem to refuse to protect their qbs, the guy needs to be elusive and no health dings Burrow is isnt getting protection, true, but he's also getting injured after very few hits and it seems like he doesnt want to go to a quick release game to protect his body shrug The front office wasted a truly great player once again Quote
ArmyBengal Posted October 21 Report Posted October 21 Well if we aren't going to be paying Trey, there are some interesting free agents in 2026 that money could go to. Hell, they could probably turn that into a couple of players for the defense, which would free things up for the draft. Personally, and not just because I'm a Buckeyes homer, Caleb Downs should would look good in stripes for our secondary. Quote
HoosierCat Posted Wednesday at 09:07 PM Author Report Posted Wednesday at 09:07 PM Today's mock via PFN's trade-happy simulator... 26. Kamari Ramsey S USC 49. Caleb Banks DT Florida 59. Amare Ferrell S Indiana 72. Domonique Orange DT Iowa State 73. Jermaine Mathews Jr. CB Ohio State 80. Deontae Lawson LB Alabama 95. Anto Saka EDGE Northwestern 112. Anthony Smith EDGE Minnesota 137. Jalon Kilgore S South Carolina 199. Trevor Goosby OT Texas 222. Lyndon Cooper OC Pittsburgh 225. Clev Lubin EDGE Louisville 2027 BUF 2nd 2027 SEA 2nd 2027 WAS 3rd 2027 BUF 4th 1 Quote
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