We’re less than a week away from the 2024 NFL Draft and the Bengals have plenty of picks to play with. Cincinnati has at least one pick in every round, including the No. 18 overall selection in the first round on April 25. But what do the Bengals need?
The Cincinnati Bengals have been more willing to trade during the NFL draft in the Zac Taylor era than in the past.
And lost in ESPN’s annual “every pick is a trade” mock draft, there’s actually a really compelling case made for the Bengals to make a trade.
Specifically, Bill Barnwell carves out a trade down for the Bengals with the Packers in which they move down to No. 25 and give away No. 97, also picking up No. 58 in the process:
The Cincinnati Bengals went into free agency with explosive plays in mind — producing more of them on offense and allowing fewer on defense.
That overarching theme is expected to carry over to the draft in which the Bengals have the 18th overall pick and nine more in the remaining six rounds.
That could mean an offensive tackle who can help keep franchise quarterback Joe Burrow off the ground, a run-stopping D-lineman, a wide receiver or just the best player available.
Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II have been in the conversation as possible first-round picks for Cincinnati.
“We want the traits, and we want the intangibles,” Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said. “And so, we’re really focused on trying to really get to the root of what makes a guy tick and how much he loves the game. It hasn’t changed. Every team is looking for the same thing, but you want guys with the intangibles to grind.”
The Cincinnati defense was the worst in the league last year at giving up explosive plays — passes that gain at least 20 yards and runs that pick up at least 10.
The offense ranked in the bottom 10 at creating explosives. It didn’t help that Burrow was lost for the last seven games with a torn ligament in his right wrist.
The Bengals missed the playoffs in 2023 for the first time in three seasons.
An offensive tackle, a run-stopping defensive tackle and a No. 3 receiver.
Cincinnati’s offensive lines have struggled to protect Burrow since he got there in 2020. There was another shakeup this offseason when right tackle Jonah Williams moved on in free agency and Trent Brown, who just turned 31, was signed to a one-year contract to replace him.
Defensive tackle D.J. Reader went to the Lions, but Cincinnati picked up former Texan Sheldon Rankins, who had three sacks against the Bengals when the teams met in Week 10. The team is in the market for another hole-plugging defensive tackle.
