***2023 NFL Draft Thread***

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(04-28-2023, 11:08 PM)OSUfan Wrote: So you would pass on talent to draft for what you consider a perceived need?


RT is not a huge question mark at all. Jonah Williams will be the starting RT and he will be pushed dramatically by Carman. 


LG is not a question mark either it is Cordell Volson.


There was not a single TE or RB that was close to being a better value in the first than the selection of Murphy...not even remotely.


There were I believe 4 games last season where the Bengals were down both TE1 and TE2 and they won all 4 of those games if I am not mistaken. I would really like to see Josh Whyle, Davis Allen, Cameron Latu, or Payne Durham taken in this draft but I am not going to overemphasize the need of big time TE talent in this offense.

Yes. I'm a pretty big believer in the easiest upgrades to a roster that is already good (like the Bengals') is being finding the weakest players who are getting playing time and replacing them up to at least an average level. 

To put some arbitrary numbers to it solely to help explain where I am coming from... Taking a 4/10 player that gets meaningful snaps and replacing them with a 6/10 player who may develop into a 7/10 player is more helpful than backing up an 8/10 player with a 7/10 player who may develop into a 9/10 player. You are adding a more talented player with the latter, but his impact is limited by playing time so you'll actually improve more with the former even if he's less talented.

The Bengals are primed to win a SB now. Soon they'll have to dedicate large amounts of cap space to Burrow, Chase, and (maybe) Higgins. I would like to try to win a SB or two before that happens and it becomes much harder to have this complete of a roster again.


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Neither of Jonah or Carman are RTs. Jonah allowed 12 sacks and is always hurt, Carman didn't look bad at LT, but he's looked terrible everywhere else he's played. That's a huge gamble to bet a SB and Burrow's health on. We've seen what one truly truly bad guy starting on the OL can do in the past. (My mind goes to Ogbuehi at RT in 2016.)

I'm not particularly sold on Volson. I am not saying I hate him starting, I said in a Jungle Noise that it would be great if he could take a step forward this year hence why he's just a small question mark, but he's certainly pretty low hanging fruit if you're looking where you can make improvement.

I agree there was no RB to take in the 1st. Any there would have been a big stretch. That said, the difference between 28 and 34 and 35 (where two TEs went) isn't so big that I would consider it a reach. I continue to wonder how much of the role of TEs in the offense is based around the fact that they never have any good TEs. Kind of self-fulfilling prophesy there.