Grade The Bengals Draft Of 2021

[*ochocincos*]

(05-02-2021, 09:10 AM)GodFather Wrote: Playoff spot? I don't see this team moving out of last place in the division this year never mind making the playoffs. 

I think they whiffed this year as a whole with the offensive line in both free agency and draft. They needed a complete overhaul and nothing less. That didn't happen. Pollack is so much better than Turner and think he will do good things but he needs talent. His OL was dead last this past season with he Jets in QB pressures, and when he did great in Dallas, Pollack had a great OL to work with. 

I just don't want to see Burrow with matching scars on both knees after this season..

I think a "complete overhaul" is a bit extreme.

Two of the Bengals OL starters (three if you include XSF) had good pass blocking grades - Jonah Williams and Trey Hopkins.
The issues in pass protection primarily came from Jordan, Redmond, Spain, and Hart.

Jonah and Hopkins will be returning.
Price will be a temporary fill-in for Hopkins until he's ready, and I suspect newly drafted Hill will back him up.
XSF and Spain will battle it out for one of the OG spots.
I expect Carman to take the other OG spot.
Reiff replaces Hart, and is way better in pass protection.

I do wish they added a better OG in FA than Spain, but they were stupid with freeing up their cap in time and lost out on some talent.
I'm willing to give Jonah and Hopkins one more year to see if they need replaced.
I do think Carman and Reiff will be upgrades over Hart and Jordan.