Assumptions:  Tee plays for the Bengals in 2024 on the Tag & (maybe) Tyler Boyd comes back on a 1 year deal

                     Likely relying on Free Agency in 2025 for experienced Offensive Line Starters &/or keep some of our own

                     A 6th &/or a 7th may be Traded to move up slightly in a round to be sure to get one of the Top 3 guys if needed. (or not)

1st - Quinyon Mitchell (Corner) 6 foot  195 lbs 4.33 forty - Close to 200 pounds & fast. Just what the secondary needs. IMO

2nd - Braden Fiske (DT) 6 foot 3 & 5/8 292 lbs 4.78 forty - Faster than Geno Atkins at 1 pound less. Geno ran a 4.85 forty.

3rd - McKinnley Jackson (NT) 6 foot 2  325 lbs Texas A&M - Looks powerful & moves well for his size. Fills a need with upside.

3rd - (Pick #97)  **From here on (with the remaining picks) take anything - OT - Interior O-line - WR - RB - more Defense - TE - BPA

4th - BPA

5th - BPA

6th - BPA (if not Traded)

6th - BPA

7th - BPA (if not Traded)

7th - BPA

**If you could live with the first 3 picks, then fill in the rest...

**If you don't like the first 3 picks then you are on the wrong Thread - LOL  

I love the idea - but I just don't like Fiske at all.

I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Mitchell was the pick if he was there - I highly doubt he will be, but that would be a very Bengals pick.

(04-02-2024, 01:38 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I love the idea - but I just don't like Fiske at all.  

I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Mitchell was the pick if he was there - I highly doubt he will be, but that would be a very Bengals pick.

I am hearing that Fiske may not even be there at pick #49 and that he is rising.

What don't you like about Fiske ?

Is there another DT in round 2 that you would take over Fiske or if Fiske is gone by then ?

I could change the Concept and get OT Blake Fisher in round 2 then get DT Mehki Wingo (who I also like) later. 

You got me thinking differently already...  

I like the thinking. I'd love to focus on improving the dline and secondary in the draft.

A top corner falling to us at 18 would improve the defense now more than any other player in my opinion.
2nd to that is one of the top DTs to add to the rotation this year.

I like the prospect of getting a great OT prospect, but think it's unlikely they play this year (unless there's an injury).

That said, I'd prefer we get someone in the 2nd/3rd round at OT. I'd prefer a trade down from 49 and then you draft an OT or IOL at pick 60-80. Best player.

(04-02-2024, 02:45 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: I like the thinking. I'd love to focus on improving the dline and secondary in the draft.

At top corner falling to us at 18 would improve the defense now more than any other player in my opinion.
2nd to that is one of the top DTs to add to the rotation this year.

I like the prospect of getting a great OT prospect, but think it's unlikely they play this year (unless there's an injury).

That said, I'd prefer we get someone in the 2nd/3rd round at OT. I'd prefer a trade down from 49 and then you draft an OT or IOL at pick 60-80. Best player.

The Chiefs had 2 really good Corners in 2023 and I agree that the Bengals need to add one.

Corner Quinyon Mitchell may be a solid selection at 6 foot 195 lbs  4.33 forty - Close to 200 pounds & fast. 

FWIW Mel Kiper has him mocked at #15 to the Colts.

Being from Toledo (a smaller School) maybe Mitchell can get to pick #18.

So our first three draft picks in our last three draft classes will have gone to defense then, if this happens?

(04-02-2024, 03:41 PM)Whatever Wrote: So our first three draft picks in our last three draft classes will have gone to defense then, if this happens?

Defense wins championships in case u didn’t know. Bengals should draft defense and wide receivers and sign FA everything else

(04-02-2024, 03:41 PM)Whatever Wrote: So our first three draft picks in our last three draft classes will have gone to defense then, if this happens?

Free Agency has been used to build up the Offensive Line the past few years & can be used in 2025 for experienced Starters.

This assumes that TEE plays in 2024 and maybe also bring back Tyler Boyd (or not)

Mixon has a reasonable replacement and the Defense needs to take the biggest LEAP forward.

Starting at pick #97 you can get all the Offense you want.

(04-02-2024, 04:15 PM)depthchart Wrote: Free Agency has been used to build up the Offensive Line the past few years & can be used in 2025 for experienced Starters.

This assumes that TEE plays in 2024 and maybe also bring back Tyler Boyd (or not)

Mixon has a reasonable replacement and the Defense needs to take the biggest LEAP forward.

Starting at pick #97 you can get all the Offense you want.

We're a month into FA, and Boyd is still sitting out there on the street.  That should tell you something about how the league sees him as a player.  And I'm far from a Mixon stan, but he was a perennial 1k yard back, while Moss has one year over 500 and didn't even last through his rookie deal in Buffalo before getting the axe.  He may pan out ok, but he has never been a feature back like we are expecting him to be.  Plus, RB's get dinged.  A lot.

Lou's scheme is very complicated and we saw how the young starters last year struggled...so the solution is to add more youth?  That doesn't compute.  We've spent our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd on D the last two drafts.  Is the defense any better than it was in '21?  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

So the solution is to go into next year with literally no offensive starter still on their rookie contract after the Chase extension is done and no offensive player drafted highly enough that you can have a reasonable expectation that they will develop into a quality starter?  Oh, well, there's Volson in a contract year, I suppose, but I think everyone can agree he's not a starter.  Not really, anyways.  That's abysmal long term roster management.  

Our best player is Joe Burrow.  He makes everyone around him better.  I have no idea why some are so resistant to putting actual talent around him and instead want the guy to make chicken salad out of chicken shit.  

(04-03-2024, 10:26 AM)Whatever Wrote: We're a month into FA, and Boyd is still sitting out there on the street.  That should tell you something about how the league sees him as a player.  And I'm far from a Mixon stan, but he was a perennial 1k yard back, while Moss has one year over 500 and didn't even last through his rookie deal in Buffalo before getting the axe.  He may pan out ok, but he has never been a feature back like we are expecting him to be.  Plus, RB's get dinged.  A lot.

Lou's scheme is very complicated and we saw how the young starters last year struggled...so the solution is to add more youth?  That doesn't compute.  We've spent our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd on D the last two drafts.  Is the defense any better than it was in '21?  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

So the solution is to go into next year with literally no offensive starter still on their rookie contract after the Chase extension is done and no offensive player drafted highly enough that you can have a reasonable expectation that they will develop into a quality starter?  Oh, well, there's Volson in a contract year, I suppose, but I think everyone can agree he's not a starter.  Not really, anyways.  That's abysmal long term roster management.  

Our best player is Joe Burrow.  He makes everyone around him better.  I have no idea why some are so resistant to putting actual talent around him and instead want the guy to make chicken salad out of chicken shit.  

Boyd's Market Price may decline to the point where bringing him back can be beneficial. He is 29 years old and familiar with the Offense.

In 2023 he had 67 catches for 667 yards with Burrow limited due to injury & Browning. 

Boyd could return & get back to around 800 plus yards receiving like he did in 2021 if Burrow stays healthy.

In this Mock you can take a RB as early as pick #97 which is a good spot to get one or at pick #115 etc.


Someone could apply doing the same thing over and over again to the Bengals ability to Draft & Develop Offensive Linemen

in recent years & years. Getting PROVEN Veteran Free Agent Offensive Linemen works because the Bengals already KNOW that

they can do the job versus HOPING a rookie Offensive Lineman will transition & develop to the NFL level successfully.

With that said, I would not mind getting OT JC Latham in round #1 but this Mock is intended to help the Defense early since 

it is the weaker Unit.


Will this be my FINAL Mock (very probably not) but it is good to think through various scenarios or how one would try to

improve an area of weakness. It was inspired in part by the Chiefs having 2 VERY GOOD Corners (one an ALL Pro)

In a week or so, I may make a Stack the Offense Early Mock (and it will probably not be my FINAL Mock)

(04-03-2024, 10:56 AM)depthchart Wrote: Boyd's Market Price may decline to the point where bringing him back can be beneficial. He is 29 years old and familiar with the Offense.

In 2023 he had 67 catches for 667 yards with Burrow limited due to injury & Browning. 

Boyd could return & get back to around 800 plus yards receiving like he did in 2021 if Burrow stays healthy.

In this Mock you can take a RB as early as pick #97 which is a good spot to get one or at pick #115 etc.


Someone could apply doing the same thing over and over again to the Bengals ability to Draft & Develop Offensive Linemen

in recent years & years. Getting PROVEN Veteran Free Agent Offensive Linemen works because the Bengals already KNOW that

they can do the job versus HOPING a rookie Offensive Lineman will transition & develop to the NFL level successfully.

With that said, I would not mind getting OT JC Latham in round #1 but this Mock is intended to help the Defense early since 

it is the weaker Unit.


Will this be my FINAL Mock (very probably not) but it is good to think through various scenarios or how one would try to

improve an area of weakness. It was inspired in part by the Chiefs having 2 VERY GOOD Corners (one an ALL Pro)

In a week or so, I may make a Stack the Offense Early Mock (and it will probably not be my FINAL Mock)

Boyd has been on the decline for years prior to last season.  You can argue that his production was hurt by injury at QB, but his production should have seen a boost due to injuries at WR and the TE group being ineffective most of the year.  Not to mention his drops and the fact that he can't beat anything better than a CB3 anymore.

But beyond that, ok, sure I'll play along and say we sign Boyd to a prove it deal to facilitate this draft.  So, next year, we're looking at two starting WR's, our starting C, our starting RT, and our starting TE all hitting UFA with no premium draft capital used to draft and develop any replacements.  And the piece de resistance to the plan is to draft a CB in the 1st and expect him to plug into a complex defense that rookies struggle in and expect him to be a high end starter while making a massive jump from covering MAC WR's to the pros.  And bonus, we'd be giving up on a Day One or Two pick and banishing them to life on the bench after only a year or two.

(04-03-2024, 01:03 PM)Whatever Wrote: Boyd has been on the decline for years prior to last season.  You can argue that his production was hurt by injury at QB, but his production should have seen a boost due to injuries at WR and the TE group being ineffective most of the year.  Not to mention his drops and the fact that he can't beat anything better than a CB3 anymore.

But beyond that, ok, sure I'll play along and say we sign Boyd to a prove it deal to facilitate this draft.  So, next year, we're looking at two starting WR's, our starting C, our starting RT, and our starting TE all hitting UFA with no premium draft capital used to draft and develop any replacements.  And the piece de resistance to the plan is to draft a CB in the 1st and expect him to plug into a complex defense that rookies struggle in and expect him to be a high end starter while making a massive jump from covering MAC WR's to the pros.  And bonus, we'd be giving up on a Day One or Two pick and banishing them to life on the bench after only a year or two.

I started the Thread by mentioning "(maybe) Tyler Boyd comes back on a 1 year deal"

If you want to dig a hole and bury 29 year old Boyd that's fine. 

If he were to come back & go UP from his 667 2023 yardage total to his 828 2021 Super Bowl year yardage total

I would not be surprised by it. You would be SHOCKED and that is fine.


Quinyon Mitchell does not have to start on day one. (Just like other 1st round picks like Myles Murphy last year or an OT this year)

The Corners already on the Team will start while Quinyon develops & I expect eventually takes one Key Job.

No one gets banished to the Bench because there are various packages & ways that DJ Turner (for example) can be used.

The Corner Group gets DEEPER and more talented.


It would be better than Drafting an OT in round 1 and missing on the pick but I am all for OT or whatever in round 1 as 

long as they HIT on the pick. 

(04-03-2024, 01:27 PM)depthchart Wrote: I started the Thread by mentioning "(maybe) Tyler Boyd comes back on a 1 year deal"

If you want to dig a hole and bury 29 year old Boyd that's fine. 

If he were to come back & go UP from his 667 2023 yardage total to his 828 2021 Super Bowl year yardage total

I would not be surprised by it. You would be SHOCKED and that is fine.


Quinyon Mitchell does not have to start on day one. (Just like other 1st round picks like Myles Murphy last year or an OT this year)

The Corners already on the Team will start while Quinyon develops & I expect eventually takes one Key Job.

No one gets banished to the Bench because there are various packages & ways that DJ Turner (for example) can be used.

The Corner Group gets DEEPER and more talented.


It would be better than Drafting an OT in round 1 and missing on the pick but I am all for OT or whatever in round 1 as 

long as they HIT on the pick. 

What if Boyd does hit 800 yards?  He still would need replaced at the end of the season, along with 4 other starters on offense and this draft isn't using any premium capital to upgrade or replace any of them.  And you'll be trying to resign or replace these guys during an off-season where you need to pony up for Chase.

With Hilton entrenched as the nickel CB and Hill apparently moving there, you have two 1st's and 2 2nd's vying for 2 spots next year at any one time.  Then, the following year, some one will still be riding the pine.  Yeah, you can rotate or do packages, but that is nowhere near worth a starter at a premium position like T or WR.  It doesn't make sense, especially considering he doesn't represent an immediate upgrade.

(04-03-2024, 03:24 PM)Whatever Wrote: What if Boyd does hit 800 yards?  He still would need replaced at the end of the season, along with 4 other starters on offense and this draft isn't using any premium capital to upgrade or replace any of them.  And you'll be trying to resign or replace these guys during an off-season where you need to pony up for Chase.

With Hilton entrenched as the nickel CB and Hill apparently moving there, you have two 1st's and 2 2nd's vying for 2 spots next year at any one time.  Then, the following year, some one will still be riding the pine.  Yeah, you can rotate or do packages, but that is nowhere near worth a starter at a premium position like T or WR.  It doesn't make sense, especially considering he doesn't represent an immediate upgrade.

Again - Starting at 3rd round- (Pick #97) you can take all of the Offense you want. 

Should find a #3 receiver if you want. Maybe a TE or RB or Interior O-line or even a Tackle.


So you have DJ Turner as can't miss Shut Down Corner but I think Quinyon is better suited and a thing called Injuries

can happen so why Whine about having DEPTH.


Anyway, name YOUR Top 3 picks.  

I assume they will ALL be on Offense to make it Fair since the Defense has been favored lately early in Drafts by the Bengals.

Name your Top 3 picks - You may save me Time when I do a Stack the Offense early Mock.

(04-03-2024, 03:38 PM)depthchart Wrote: Again - Starting at 3rd round- (Pick #97) you can take all of the Offense you want. 

Should find a #3 receiver if you want. Maybe a TE or RB or Interior O-line or even a Tackle.


So you have DJ Turner as can't miss Shut Down Corner but I think Quinyon is better suited and a thing called Injuries

can happen so why Whine about having DEPTH.


Anyway, name YOUR Top 3 picks.  

I assume they will ALL be on Offense to make it Fair since the Defense has been favored lately early in Drafts by the Bengals.

Name your Top 3 picks - You may save me Time when I do a Stack the Offense early Mock.

4th round picks play out their rookie deals and get second contracts less than 50% of the time, and the chances they become quality starters is even less.  That's why premium draft capital needs to spent on the offense due to the current contract picture.

Never said Turner was a shut down CB.  However, he graded and his Passer Rating Allowed When Targeted were similar to CTB's rookie year.  You certainly can't call him a bust and a bench player anymore than he can be labeled a stud.  I see the same pattern all the time with folks.  If he's not a stud as a rookie, we need to draft another next year.  And it would be the same with Mitchell if the learning curve was a little too steep for him to manage year one.

Sure, let's talk about depth, though.  So we have one T under contract for next year, no C's, one TE, 2 RB's and three WR's.  See the need there?  

I've got a number of mocks up already.  You can look at them if you need ideas.

(04-03-2024, 05:10 PM)Whatever Wrote: 4th round picks play out their rookie deals and get second contracts less than 50% of the time, and the chances they become quality starters is even less.  That's why premium draft capital needs to spent on the offense due to the current contract picture.

Never said Turner was a shut down CB.  However, he graded and his Passer Rating Allowed When Targeted were similar to CTB's rookie year.  You certainly can't call him a bust and a bench player anymore than he can be labeled a stud.  I see the same pattern all the time with folks.  If he's not a stud as a rookie, we need to draft another next year.  And it would be the same with Mitchell if the learning curve was a little too steep for him to manage year one.

Sure, let's talk about depth, though.  So we have one T under contract for next year, no C's, one TE, 2 RB's and three WR's.  See the need there?  

I've got a number of mocks up already.  You can look at them if you need ideas.

I see in your latest Mock your Top 3 picks were:  Olumuyiwa Fashanu  OT   -   Zach Frazier IOL   -   Trey Benson RB

My Mock prior to this one on 3/26/24 had Top 3 of:  Brian Thomas Jr WR  -  McKinnley Jackson DT  -  Trey Benson RB

My even earlier Pre-Free Agency Mock Top 3 was:  JC Latham OT  -  Xavier Leggette WR  -  McKinnley Jackson DT

*I likely take Offense more early in my FINAL Mock but I did this one for Fun & as a what if I focused on Defense early option.

  I also considered DE Laiatu Latu in round 1 for this D early Mock but went with Corner Quinyon Mitchell.

  I also considered an option where Byron Murphy II was the round 1 pick but I didn't like some of the 2nd or 3rd round Corner options.