04-03-2024, 01:03 PM
(04-03-2024, 10:56 AM)depthchart Wrote: Boyd's Market Price may decline to the point where bringing him back can be beneficial. He is 29 years old and familiar with the Offense.
In 2023 he had 67 catches for 667 yards with Burrow limited due to injury & Browning.
Boyd could return & get back to around 800 plus yards receiving like he did in 2021 if Burrow stays healthy.
In this Mock you can take a RB as early as pick #97 which is a good spot to get one or at pick #115 etc.
Someone could apply doing the same thing over and over again to the Bengals ability to Draft & Develop Offensive Linemen
in recent years & years. Getting PROVEN Veteran Free Agent Offensive Linemen works because the Bengals already KNOW that
they can do the job versus HOPING a rookie Offensive Lineman will transition & develop to the NFL level successfully.
With that said, I would not mind getting OT JC Latham in round #1 but this Mock is intended to help the Defense early since
it is the weaker Unit.
Will this be my FINAL Mock (very probably not) but it is good to think through various scenarios or how one would try to
improve an area of weakness. It was inspired in part by the Chiefs having 2 VERY GOOD Corners (one an ALL Pro)
In a week or so, I may make a Stack the Offense Early Mock (and it will probably not be my FINAL Mock)
Boyd has been on the decline for years prior to last season. You can argue that his production was hurt by injury at QB, but his production should have seen a boost due to injuries at WR and the TE group being ineffective most of the year. Not to mention his drops and the fact that he can't beat anything better than a CB3 anymore.
But beyond that, ok, sure I'll play along and say we sign Boyd to a prove it deal to facilitate this draft. So, next year, we're looking at two starting WR's, our starting C, our starting RT, and our starting TE all hitting UFA with no premium draft capital used to draft and develop any replacements. And the piece de resistance to the plan is to draft a CB in the 1st and expect him to plug into a complex defense that rookies struggle in and expect him to be a high end starter while making a massive jump from covering MAC WR's to the pros. And bonus, we'd be giving up on a Day One or Two pick and banishing them to life on the bench after only a year or two.