2024 mock

[*ochocincos*]

(06-22-2023, 09:00 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Of the high value positions (QB, WR, OT, DE, CB, pass rushing DT), we decinitely do not need QB, WR1, LT, RDE, or hopefully WR2 if Tee is back.

That leaves RT, slot WR, CB, LDE, and pass rushing DT.

1. RT. Assuming Jonah walks, we still have Collins & Carman under contract for the year. We couod take a stud RT, but we likely do not have to.

2. Slot WR. Seems high for a slot guy. Boyd might take a haircut, and I do like Jones. And if Iosivas blows up, we could move Chase inside a lot. Like RR, we could do it, but I am hoping it won't be a need.

3. CB. Chido is a FA, but we just drafted Turner. A possibility if Chido goes, but if Turner is a hit, we'd be drafting depth.

4. DE. Hendrickson, Hubbard, Ossai, & Murphy will all be under contract. And Sample, too. Again, it COULD hapoen, but man, I think it unlikely. If Trey has a poor year & Ossai & Murphy do not impress, maybe.

5. Pass rushing DT. Hill will be under contract, as will Carter, who bulked up this year. If Carter fails to impress, on the table for sure.

But I think there is a good chance all those needs are filled devently well, and a super high qualityprospect, at those spits, that late, is unusual unless the class is really deep at one spot.

Most likely, I think we aim at a higher rated prosoect at a lower valued pisition.

1. Run stopping DT. Reader, Tupou, & Tufele FAs.
2. RB. Mixon likely gone. But we do have a team option. And C. Brown is here.
3. TE. Smith & Sample FAs.
4. LB. ADG & Bailey will be FAs. Hopefully not Wilson.
5. Safety. We got 4 youngins. Hopefully not.

This past draft showed how fast TEs and RBs can go off the board, even if not taken early Rd 1.

Before Bengals picked at 60, the following RBs and TEs were off the board already:
RB - Robinson, Gibbs, Charbonnet
TE - Kincaid, Mayer, LaPorta, Musgrave, Schoonmaker

Then add the following guys before Bengals picked at 95:
RB - Miller, Spears, Achane, Bigsby
TE - Strange, Kraft, Washington (although Bengals could have taken him at 92 before trading back)

So while a position may feel like a reach in Rd 1, there's no guarantee the board falls for that position on Day 2.

I'm saying all this because I think TE and RB should be on the table in late Rd 1, for sure.
WR probably leapfrogs both though if Higgins doesn't end up re-signing after all.
I did like Carter in the 2022 draft, but with Hill going to be almost 30 years old when he is set to hit FA in 2025, I'm definitely game for taking a pass-rushing DT if Carter doesn't ascend by end of this season.

As for LB or NT, I think you can find solid guys for not too expensive given the positions they play if Wilson and/or Reader are playing their last season with the Bengals.