Fatal flaw with this team

[*bengalfan74*]

We don't get anywhere near enough long term (at least two 4 year contracts) success out of our top draft picks. The guys you draft to fill holes and expect to be at least above average contributors for a good while.

I decided to just start with the ML era to now, Recent history. And I'm just doing top 2 round picks, top 64.

2003
*** C. Palmer QB 8 seasons, we all know that story
E. Steinbach OG 4 seasons wouldn't pay top money to IOL.

2004
C Perry RB 4 seasons, injuries
K. Ratliff CB 4 seasons meh gone + some fill in roles later on 09/10
M. Williams S 4 seasons, was on fire to start then injuries flamed him out.

2005
D. Pollack LB 1+ seasons horrible neck injury
O. Thurman LB 3 seasons, started off as a possible true game changer. Drugs and alcohol problems ended career

2006
J. Joseph CB 5 seasons, Bengals wouldn't pay top CB money - gone
*** A. Whitworth LT 11 seasons as top of the line LT, still ended on sour note here

2007
*** L. Hall CB 9 seasons, good career here
K. Irons RB Blew out ACL in first pre season game, never recovered

2008
K. Rivers LB 4 seasons started out looking good, then Ward broke his jaw (dirty) never recovered his mo jo
J. Simpson WR 4 seasons drug issues cropped up Will always put "the flip" in top 10 plays though

2009
*** A. Smith RT 7 seasons then came back later good pick
*** R Maualuga LB 8 seasons, his coverage skills were non-existent but overall ok contributor so I'll give him the asterisk's

2010
J. Gresham TE 5 seasons and was a good not great TE not retained
*** C. Dunlap DE 11 season very good DE not great left with bad blood

2011
*** AJ Green WR 10 seasons top level pick, again left under questionable circumstances/bad blood
*** A. Dalton QB 9 seasons quality QB, again many feel Bengals did him dirty with departure

2012

*** D. Kirkpatrick CB 8 seasons good contributor
K. Zeitler RG 5 seasons, really good guard, bengals wouldn't pay top money - gone
D. Still couple seasons sad story

2013
T. Eifert TE 7 seasons but injury plagued issues wrecked career
***G. Bernard RB 7 seasons good pick
M. Hunt DE 4 seasons waste of a top pick

2014
*** D. Dennard CB 6 seasons good value
J. Hill RB 4 seasons no comment

2015
C. Ogbuehi OT 4 seasons - garbage pick
J. Fisher OT/G 4 seasons - health issues ended career. Just an awful draft

2016
W. Jackson III 5 seasons and gone
*** T. Boyd WR 8 seasons quality pick maybe should have kept

2017
J. Ross WR 4 seasons waste of a pick
*** J. Mixon 7 seasons decent production

2018
B. Price C 3 seasons waste of a pick
J. Bates S 5 seasons, good pick, wouldn't pay let go

2019
J. Williams OT 5 seasons gone, meh contributor
D. Sample TE 6 seasons thus far questionable contributor?? carrer stats thus far - 89 receptions, 672 yards, 4 TD's was he really a 2nd round pick?

2020
*** J. Burrow QB woot
T. Higgins WR good pick but....

2021
J. Chase WR great pick
J. Carman OT - waste of a pick

2022
D. Hill S/CB injuries ???
C.T. Britt started out showing much promise but has hit the wall - HARD who knows??

2023
M. Murphy DE hasn't moved needle much
DJ Turner CB lets hope


39 total top picks (64 and above) 14 we've got any long term success from. That's of course not figuring what the long term success of recent picks in. But there's some serious doubt there for sure.

I realize the Bengals had no control over Pollack breaking his neck or K. Irons blowing knee out, or T. Eifert just not having a NFL ready body. But we did have control over retaining E. Steinbach and K. Zeitler but won't pay top money to IOL. We did have control over resigning J. Bates. Many wasted picks Hunt, Hill, Ogbuehi, Fisher, Ross, Price, Williams.

But however you want to chop it up? This team doesn't in general get good returns from top level picks. You can't fail at this rate and get to the final prize.