I go with Roquan. As others have mentioned, the LBs outside of Burfict have been bad. And Smith is a 3-down type of LB. Safety wasn’t bad enough to need a first round selection to address that position and I think Billings deserves one more year at NT before people start writing him off. Keep in mind the guy will only be 22 this coming season.


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Smith. Instant upgrade. A play maker on defense we need. And could easily be BPA.

Side to sideline speed. Never misses tackles. Takes the right angles and sifts through traffic. Speed and athleticism is arguably the best among all linebackers in the draft. He identifies the gap quickly and reacts.

For anyone saying he's undersized, well, he pretty much has an identical build to that of Myles Jack.

Went unconventional with the pick and chose Vea. Dude will command double teams, and will immediately shore up the interior D-line, allowing Geno to get singled more often. I really like Roquan Smith, and he fits a need the team has had for about 7-8 years. I’d be very happy with Smith. That said, we’ve never had a player like Vea here. The guy he gets comped to most often is Haloti Ngata.

(02-11-2018, 02:48 PM)Jakeypoo Wrote: James he is the best player in the draft. I doubt he gets out of the top 5.

I would bet a ton of money that not only does he get out of the top 5, he makes it out of the top 10.

Hell, I'd even put money on him not even being top 15.

(02-11-2018, 10:59 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: Went unconventional with the pick and chose Vea.  Dude will command double teams, and will immediately shore up the interior D-line, allowing Geno to get singled more often.  I really like Roquan Smith, and he fits a need the team has had for about 7-8 years.  I’d be very happy with Smith.  That said, we’ve never had a player like Vea here.  The guy he gets comped to most often is Haloti  Ngata.

I also went Vea, but now I'm looking at it again and thinking that Billings didn't look horrible last year after being injured his rookie year, and only should be improving.

I just don't see us pulling the trigger on a guy at nose in the first when we have other needs and Billings on the rise.

(02-11-2018, 09:49 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I go with Roquan. As others have mentioned, the LBs outside of Burfict have been bad. And Smith is a 3-down type of LB. Safety wasn’t bad enough to need a first round selection to address that position and I think Billings deserves one more year at NT before people start writing him off. Keep in mind the guy will only be 22 this coming season.


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We need a backup 3 tech though. Vea can play that as well. As. Well as 1-4 tech so if we wanted to go 3-4.

I'd go Smith, but I doubt he's there.  The ability to cover and his lateral abilities would be a long needed upgrade.

If he's not there I would be very happy to go with Vea.

I'm gonna say Smith. Merv wanted Foster last year I believe and was overruled, so this year I think he will make it LBer.

(02-12-2018, 04:26 AM)Jpoore Wrote: We need a backup 3 tech though. Vea can play that as well. As. Well as 1-4 tech so if we wanted to go 3-4.

Again, maybe I'm being stubborn on Billings given he's not even 22 years old yet and has really only had one year in the NFL, but I'm not ready to move on from him yet.
And a backup 3T or a starting 1T can be found later in the draft. Doesn't have to be addressed with #12 overall.
Plus, I don't see Vea as ever being a starting 3T though full time. He's 1T or 0T all the way for me. But in a pinch at 3T? Sure, why not.

Would I be upset to see Vea selected? No. I get the want to solidify that spot next to Atkins and improve both run and pass defense.
Can I be more on board with Vea if the Bengals get a good LB in FA or Edmunds and Smith are both gone before 12? Sure.

I would say LB is the biggest need on defense.
DT probably need #2 on defense, especially if you don't have confidence Billings will grow into the prospect he was touted to be leading up to the 2016 draft.
Safety I think is third but not really a "need" given the solid play both starters have provided. There is room for an elite playmaker though if the Bengals were willing to shift Williams or Iloka into a different role or do a time share.

(02-12-2018, 04:42 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I'm gonna say Smith. Merv wanted Foster last year I believe and was overruled, so this year I think he will make it LBer.

Probably good the Bengals avoided Foster...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000915868/article/reuben-foster-arrested-on-domestic-violence-threat-charges

(02-12-2018, 04:53 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Again, maybe I'm being stubborn on Billings given he's not even 22 years old yet and has really only had one year in the NFL, but I'm not ready to move on from him yet.
And a backup 3T or a starting 1T can be found later in the draft. Doesn't have to be addressed with #12 overall.
Plus, I don't see Vea as ever being a starting 3T though full time. He's 1T or 0T all the way for me. But in a pinch at 3T? Sure, why not.

Would I be upset to see Vea selected? No. I get the want to solidify that spot next to Atkins and improve both run and pass defense.
Can I be more on board with Vea if the Bengals get a good LB in FA or Edmunds and Smith are both gone before 12? Sure.

I would say LB is the biggest need on defense.
DT probably need #2 on defense, especially if you don't have confidence Billings will grow into the prospect he was touted to be leading up to the 2016 draft.
Safety I think is third but not really a "need" given the solid play both starters have provided. There is room for an elite playmaker though if the Bengals were willing to shift Williams or Iloka into a different role or do a time share.

Man idk what they're gonna do tbh. I went vea bc that's the most likely imo. in their mind they have their starting 3 lbs who they love. Vigil burfict Evans. They love them. Safety we got 2 who we're paying big money and as much as I love love Derwin James I don't see them going there. So Dt is the most plausible but hell they'll probably go CB.

(02-12-2018, 06:15 PM)Jpoore Wrote:
Man idk what they're gonna do tbh. I went vea bc that's the most likely imo. in their mind they have their starting 3 lbs who they love. Vigil burfict Evans. They love them. Safety we got 2 who we're paying big money and as much as I love love Derwin James I don't see them going there. So Dt is the most plausible but hell they'll probably go CB.

Well in their mind they likely love Williams and Iloka more than Vigil and Evans. And there's not really reason to think they love Vigil and Evans more than Billings.

Ultimately though, I think your first sentence (bolded above) is really the truth. We all have our ideas for who we think the Bengals will take, but just like last year, we don't really know until Lapham gives us an indication.

I didn't pick any of the 3 choices...
Imo, whoever we pick at 12....
he better be able to play LT....