SHRacerX Mock 1.0 2022

[*SHRacerX*]

(03-29-2022, 01:26 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Bengals are in a bit of a pickle with so many of their starters being either on one-year deals or entering final year of their current deal.
It could mean a bunch of different options where the Bengals might want to get a head start on a replacement in the draft such that the draft pick can groom for a year before taking over.

Spots where this could be the case:
DB - Bates (playing on tag), Bell (final year of contract), Apple (one-year deal)
LB - Pratt (final year of rookie contract)
TE - Hurst (one-year deal), Sample (final year of rookie contract)

While the starters for 2022 might be set, we could see the early picks (Rds 1-3) go toward guys who could sit as rookies but potentially take over for departing veterans in 2023.

I bring this up because I think we'll see likely at least one DB and probably a TE taken on Day 1 and/or Day 2.
If Bengals don't draft a safety until Day 3, I would assume they'll expect to either re-sign Bates and Bell or address safety in FA next year.

Good point, but I see the more valued positions of DE, DT (3T), CB, WR taking precedence over those future potential future roster hole positions.  

Plus, they seem to like what they have in Wilcox to develop and possibly Moss.  LB is actually a very deep position for the Bengals with guys like Bailey and Bachie showing pretty well when needed.  CB will absolutely have at least one pick this year, and maybe two.