04-21-2023, 01:38 PM
This may be pointless but I can't think of a better thing to do with a week left than engage in pointless debates...
Who would you take if we had #1 overall this year? The only caveat being that you can't trade down since that would defeat the purpose of the question. I guess you could draft and stash a guy (e.g., Bryce) but you'd have to keep him for at least a year. So I guess two caveats. Or one and a half. I digress...
I'm just curious who we'd target. There are at least 10 compelling names I've seen floated for #28- more than I can remember- and it really speaks to the fact that this team can go in multiple directions and, when healthy, has no gaping holes. Holes- yes. Gaping- no. You could make a case for TE, of course, but only to the extent that this team even features TEs. RT? Sure, always. But a lot less urgent than it would be if we didn't have 3 (arguably 4) of the other spots locked up.
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My guy is Christian Gonzalez. I love the trajectory he's on. Young and getting better, with physical traits that really lift his ceiling. He also tends to play up to the level of his competition, which is nice for guys transitioning to the top league in the world. He's unproven to some extent but I expect Lou to dial down the zone in favor of press man now that Bates and his extraordinary range are gone... although I reserve the right to be wrong about that. Either way, I figure he could use a guy who can be left on an island, which suits Gonzalez's game just fine. And with questions around Chido's status, he could be a good fit in that sense too.
Anderson's awesome, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't join the march to protest that pick either. Hendrickson's playmaking the past two seasons has been a joy to watch. Adding a Will Anderson Jr (!) would give us the most fearsome rotation of edges (if not overall line) in the league imo. I just think we could use a bit more help in the backfield than up front.
So Goodell's walking up to the platform. "With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select ______" ?
Who would you take if we had #1 overall this year? The only caveat being that you can't trade down since that would defeat the purpose of the question. I guess you could draft and stash a guy (e.g., Bryce) but you'd have to keep him for at least a year. So I guess two caveats. Or one and a half. I digress...
I'm just curious who we'd target. There are at least 10 compelling names I've seen floated for #28- more than I can remember- and it really speaks to the fact that this team can go in multiple directions and, when healthy, has no gaping holes. Holes- yes. Gaping- no. You could make a case for TE, of course, but only to the extent that this team even features TEs. RT? Sure, always. But a lot less urgent than it would be if we didn't have 3 (arguably 4) of the other spots locked up.
-
My guy is Christian Gonzalez. I love the trajectory he's on. Young and getting better, with physical traits that really lift his ceiling. He also tends to play up to the level of his competition, which is nice for guys transitioning to the top league in the world. He's unproven to some extent but I expect Lou to dial down the zone in favor of press man now that Bates and his extraordinary range are gone... although I reserve the right to be wrong about that. Either way, I figure he could use a guy who can be left on an island, which suits Gonzalez's game just fine. And with questions around Chido's status, he could be a good fit in that sense too.
Anderson's awesome, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't join the march to protest that pick either. Hendrickson's playmaking the past two seasons has been a joy to watch. Adding a Will Anderson Jr (!) would give us the most fearsome rotation of edges (if not overall line) in the league imo. I just think we could use a bit more help in the backfield than up front.
So Goodell's walking up to the platform. "With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select ______" ?
