04-26-2021, 08:02 PM
I think the declining importance of linebackers maps in parallel to the declining number of linebackers. Teams trot out 5 or 6 DBs more than ever before, and it's nearly always the LB group that covers the loss. The Bengals themselves might as well call their base defense the nickel.
Still, they're important in that any position group is important. I think the Bengals could stand to draft one more linebacker at least in the round 3-5 range, either for depth or to cover when one of our young players inevitably doesn't work out. I don't have high hopes for Bailey, and Davis-Gaither looked a bit shaky too. Pratt might be flatly average and Wilson has a lot of potential, but strengthening the depth is still necessary.
Still, they're important in that any position group is important. I think the Bengals could stand to draft one more linebacker at least in the round 3-5 range, either for depth or to cover when one of our young players inevitably doesn't work out. I don't have high hopes for Bailey, and Davis-Gaither looked a bit shaky too. Pratt might be flatly average and Wilson has a lot of potential, but strengthening the depth is still necessary.
