04-29-2024, 03:36 PM
(04-29-2024, 02:15 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Picks I wasn't overly excited about when they were made:
- Kris Jenkins (I get the run defense, but the pass rush prowess isn't there...yet at least...What's his future long-term position plan?)
- Erick All (A lot of injury history. Cade Stover was still there, who I wanted)
- Josh Newton (This dude wasn't on my radar at all. Slow for a new-age CB)
- Cedric Johnson (Not very bendy or twitchy. Poor agility scores. I don't think he makes the team, or if he does will be a weekly inactive until injuries occur)
- Daijahn Anthony (Like Newton, no idea who this dude was)
Yes, I realize that's over 50% of the picks I wasn't really thrilled for.
I'm sure some of these guys will pleasantly surprise, even if just in a rotational/backup role long-term.
Not too bad though to be mostly good with Day 1 and Day 2 and really just have concerns with Day 3 picks. Day 3 is, for the most part, going to be highly subjective for excitement and essentially taking a shot in the dark when it comes to hitting on a pick.
See, I can read this and appreciate why you're not fawning all over the guys you listed.... while also acknowledging that you want them to succeed to the highest degree possible. Personally, I LOVED their draft. I think they did well. But I also think a good draft is 1 star, 1 excellent player, 1 very good starter, and 1 reliable backup. If they get that in any draft, it's an awesome draft.
Out of your list, I think Newton & Jenkins have a great chance to be one of the 4 guys in this draft who need to matter. Doesn't mean I don't like the others you've got down. But I like those 2 a lot. The DE is interesting to me. I think he is one of those guys who will benefit by being next to really good players. He had no help at Ole Miss.
Something people are missing here with this "It's just a XYZ round pick" is that the reason the Bengals had to let Bates go is also the reason they are probably struggling to pay Higgins,: The Bengals have had to pay a fortune to Free Agents due to not just missing star players... but whiffing on so many draft picks several years running that they have to go sign really high priced FAs to be able to have impact players.
Reader, Hendrickson, Hill, Bell, Brown Jr, The Body Guard, Cappa, Karras.
- Hell, their entire 2024 starting O line, save for a 4th round LG, is going to be FA signings. That is a position group of MONSTER NEED and the Bengals have missed horribly. That group cannot just get by like they do with LBs, TEs, & RBs and the Bengals have crapped the bed so bad at OL - to the tune of HUGE payouts to FAs - causing a ripple effect through the roster.
If something as simple as any 2 out of: Carman, Carter, Wren, Shelvin, Mike Jordan, Smith, Hill, & Adeniji were even avg to good draft picks, Jessie Bates would still be on the team and Higgins would have a long term deal. The money they are paying the guys who had to be signed to avoid the continued slaughter of JB9 is what is stopping them from signing high impact guys elsewhere. That doesn't mean I hate the O linemen that are on the team. Quite the opposite! They are NEEDED and doing valuable work. I just wish 2 of them could have been draft picks on rookie deals the last 3 seasons.
I don't think people realize that when the Bengals piss away 4th rounders that it kills them keeping star players. They are going to miss on plenty of draft picks. It happens.... But man, some of these drafts are DISGUSTINGLY awful.... And it hurts the Bengals to grab guys who won't be 100% going into the offseason.
