Let's talk DT's

[Bengal Dude]

This little nugget is from the latest Hobson's Choice:

Quote:Hello Geoff, what do you think of the possibility of the Bengals drafting DT Andrew Billings from Baylor if available with the 24th pick? Domata has had a solid NFL career but his production has slipped vs the run and an upgrade is needed at the nose position. George Williams, Arlington, TX

GEORGE: You’ll get an argument from the coaches about slippage from Peko. They see him as a solid guy. I mean, Peko played half the snaps, most of them on run downs, and they finished No. 7 in the league against the run while he threw in a career-high five sacks. And he’s started 102 straight games. The guy’s gold, George, gold. He's not done yet.

Sure, he’s also 31 and they need an infusion of youth at D-Tackle, but I don’t think they need it in the first round. They already have two guys they groomed last year as rookies, fourth-rounder Marcus Hardison (one of those compensatories) and CFA DeShawn Williams, after both came off outstanding training camps.

So I think you can keep No. 24 open for something else. Maybe down the line they could get one, but it’s doubtful he’ll be ahead of Hardison and Williams working behind Peko and Atkins. And I could see them re-signing big run stuffer Pat Sims with free agent Brandon Thompson rehabbing his ACL.