03-25-2021, 05:00 PM
We are nearing the end of the 2nd week of free agency and the Bengals have, in my opinion, overperformed. They have found a new RT, they have sealed up all the problems at CB for at least the next two years (we have our 2 starters and our slot locked up through 2022, with Phillips and Apple are really solid back ups for 2021), They have signed the back up safety to replace Williams and have two decent guards on the roster, granted we could still use the upgrades there.
Right now, the way I see it, the Bengals still have three glaring needs on this roster.
1. OG/OT
While you like Reiff at RT for 2021, he isn't the long term solution and while XSF and Spain aren't disasters at OG, you'd rather they compete for one job rather than have both jobs locked up. For this reason, I see a guard/tackle prospect as our top need. A player that could start at guard and move out to tackle in a year or two, similar to what Whitworth was. There are multiple options for this player in rounds 1 and 2 and maybe 3, although I imagine the best of them will be gone, even with how deep this class is.
2. Offensive Weapon
I won't split hairs between WR and TE, especially when the TE in question may be Kyle Pitts who is every bit as dynamic as a top WR. We have Higgins and Boyd. I love both of these players but Boyd is more of a slot and check down/relief valve option and Higgins is a great jump ball receiver, he isn't quite fast enough to consistently take the top off the offense. An upgrade here would go a long way to helping Burrow not have to hold onto the ball so long.
3. Pass rusher
Again, I wouldn't really split hairs between DE and DT. If there's a DT that can push the pocket, they would help the pass rush just as much as an edge rusher is. The key thing is we need to pressure the QB.
So I've been running some simulations on PFF and PFN and have gotten a variety of combinations and I am curious what you all think.
Option 1:
Round 1: Jamarr Chase WR LSU/Devonta Smith WR Alabama
Round 2: Alex Leatherwood OT Alabama
Option 2:
Round 1: Penei Sewell OT Oregon
Round 2: Terrace Marshall Jr. WR LSU
Option 3:
Round 1: Penei Sewell or Jamarr Chase
Round 2: Jaelan Phillips DE Miami FL
One thing that I noticed immediately when I was playing with these simulators was that, when I went Sewell/Slater in the first, I was often underwhelmed with my WR options in round 2. Marshall is good, but I don't know if he offers all that much more than Higgins does. Chase, Smith, Pitts, Waddle, Bateman, Moore, Toney and even Freiermuth routinely went off the board before our 2nd round selection. So the only other real options were Dyami Brown who, to be fair, has gotten signal boosted by Chris Sims recently when he ranked him as the 3rd best WR in the class, and Tylan Wallace.
On the other hand, if I go Chase or Smith in the first, I had Alex Leatherwood, Walker Little, Liam Eichenberg, Jalen Mayfield, Wyatt Davis (not ideal because he's a guard only and I said I would like to have a guy who could move out to T), Creed Humphrey and Landon Dickenson available, all of whom could probably start at guard on day 1 and solve a huge issue with this offense, whereas the WRs available in the second round don't necessarily address our biggest issue in the receiving corp that is deep ball separation.
And then, obviously, if you got OT in the first and you don't get the WR you want in round 2, you could always go edge with Jaelen Phillips, Ronnie Perkins or Carlos Basham Jr, all of whom have a decent chance of being available there.
So what do you all think? If you want to go Sewell, what do you want to do in the 2nd? Who's your ideal WR to pair with Sewell? And, if you don't think there will be one there, are you good with going DE in the 2nd instead and maybe addressing WR some other way?
I personally am liking the Weapon/OT choice more and more as the draft gets closer (I personally really like Pitts, but Chase and Smith are very appealing, especially since I secretly don't think we're going to go Pitts in the first no matter what haha).
Right now, the way I see it, the Bengals still have three glaring needs on this roster.
1. OG/OT
While you like Reiff at RT for 2021, he isn't the long term solution and while XSF and Spain aren't disasters at OG, you'd rather they compete for one job rather than have both jobs locked up. For this reason, I see a guard/tackle prospect as our top need. A player that could start at guard and move out to tackle in a year or two, similar to what Whitworth was. There are multiple options for this player in rounds 1 and 2 and maybe 3, although I imagine the best of them will be gone, even with how deep this class is.
2. Offensive Weapon
I won't split hairs between WR and TE, especially when the TE in question may be Kyle Pitts who is every bit as dynamic as a top WR. We have Higgins and Boyd. I love both of these players but Boyd is more of a slot and check down/relief valve option and Higgins is a great jump ball receiver, he isn't quite fast enough to consistently take the top off the offense. An upgrade here would go a long way to helping Burrow not have to hold onto the ball so long.
3. Pass rusher
Again, I wouldn't really split hairs between DE and DT. If there's a DT that can push the pocket, they would help the pass rush just as much as an edge rusher is. The key thing is we need to pressure the QB.
So I've been running some simulations on PFF and PFN and have gotten a variety of combinations and I am curious what you all think.
Option 1:
Round 1: Jamarr Chase WR LSU/Devonta Smith WR Alabama
Round 2: Alex Leatherwood OT Alabama
Option 2:
Round 1: Penei Sewell OT Oregon
Round 2: Terrace Marshall Jr. WR LSU
Option 3:
Round 1: Penei Sewell or Jamarr Chase
Round 2: Jaelan Phillips DE Miami FL
One thing that I noticed immediately when I was playing with these simulators was that, when I went Sewell/Slater in the first, I was often underwhelmed with my WR options in round 2. Marshall is good, but I don't know if he offers all that much more than Higgins does. Chase, Smith, Pitts, Waddle, Bateman, Moore, Toney and even Freiermuth routinely went off the board before our 2nd round selection. So the only other real options were Dyami Brown who, to be fair, has gotten signal boosted by Chris Sims recently when he ranked him as the 3rd best WR in the class, and Tylan Wallace.
On the other hand, if I go Chase or Smith in the first, I had Alex Leatherwood, Walker Little, Liam Eichenberg, Jalen Mayfield, Wyatt Davis (not ideal because he's a guard only and I said I would like to have a guy who could move out to T), Creed Humphrey and Landon Dickenson available, all of whom could probably start at guard on day 1 and solve a huge issue with this offense, whereas the WRs available in the second round don't necessarily address our biggest issue in the receiving corp that is deep ball separation.
And then, obviously, if you got OT in the first and you don't get the WR you want in round 2, you could always go edge with Jaelen Phillips, Ronnie Perkins or Carlos Basham Jr, all of whom have a decent chance of being available there.
So what do you all think? If you want to go Sewell, what do you want to do in the 2nd? Who's your ideal WR to pair with Sewell? And, if you don't think there will be one there, are you good with going DE in the 2nd instead and maybe addressing WR some other way?
I personally am liking the Weapon/OT choice more and more as the draft gets closer (I personally really like Pitts, but Chase and Smith are very appealing, especially since I secretly don't think we're going to go Pitts in the first no matter what haha).
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
