Mike Hilton to the Bengals

[*ochocincos*]

(03-16-2021, 04:16 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Improving this defense was not something that was going to happen this off season. That will only happen with recovery from injuries. They have a lot of money on the defense right now. Replacing what was leaving and hoping Reader, Atkins, Waynes and Tupou come back and produce while Wilson, ADG and Pratt continue to develop is the way to improve this defense.

They still need a pass rusher, which we can get in the draft. But my point is this free agency period tells me "OT/OT in rounds 1 and 2"

They need two pass rushers, but they can both come in the draft. Hubbard doesn't offer enough of a pass rush, but he's real good against the run.
Even if Atkins is back to form, he's a stopgap for just a year or two at this point.

Let's say though that they go OL in Rds 1 and 2.
Then they could go DE and DT in Rds 3 and 4. The DL added would get to be part of a rotation, but not forced to start.

I bring this up because I think people need to prepare themselves for another underwhelming season where the Bengals may not make the playoffs, but may improve on their win total by a couple. It'd be progress, but it'd be slow.