Bengals Add Defense

[kevin]

Bengals on Bye Week, so I'll play early Draft Pick Game.

I'm guessing Bengals pick between pick 11 and pick 20.   I don't see much on offense.  I do see two on Defense and Bengals D is awful.  

Safety Malaki Starks of Georgia with good size at 6' 1" and 205 lbs.
D Line Nic Scourton of Texas A&M at 6'4" and 285 lbs.  

Those are the best available athletes I see on the board between picks 11 and 20, and Bengals could use help at DB and D Line.

There is a third player.  Emeka Egbuka the WR out of Ohio State at 6'1" and 205 lbs.  If both Boyd and Higgins are gone and they are smart enough to lock in Chase long term, a Round One WR might fill some of that void.  It's money smart because they got Boyd, Higgins and Chase cheap for a while on rookie contracts. So bringing  in a good rookie to help Chase and Burrow is money salary cap smart.  

Well, that's what I see on the board where Bengals might pick.  A choice between a Safety, a D Lineman or a WR.  With the Draft 5 months away, it's hard to say, just killing time on Bengals Bye Week.  Bengals could use Defense or a WR after losing Boyd and Higgins.  One added thought.  Boyd is not tearing up the NFL, but he fit in here.  Could Bengals get Boyd back on The Cheap ?  I mean, much less than when he went free agent.  Burrow can still get him the ball.  Some players only fit in on a certain team. Maybe Boyd is better as a Bengals with Burrow. Don't rule out getting Boyd back much cheaper than Chase or Higgins or even what Boyd wanted when he left. If his new team doesn't want him, Bengals could get him back and it could be a good fit for Boyd and Burrow and Bengals.  Salary Cap to have good players at all positions. 

Now 2 Players that I think will be gone when Bengals pick, but I'll add them. 

The Big DT out of Kentucky, Deone Walker, 6'6" and 345 lbs could add the beef needed at DT

Tetairoa McMillan, the WR of Arizona at 6'5 and 212 lbs will be off the boards, but just in case Bengals can get him, great size and talent to fill voids left losing Boyd and Higgins.  

Yes, I'm saying Higgins gone, just as most of NFL is. 

[pulses]

Boyd was gone last year WTF

[puddycat]

If we aren't winning with Tee, I don't think we're going to win with another 1st round WR. JMO.
My list in the top half of round 1 is: Graham DT, Carter Edge, WJohnson CB, Pearce Edge
I'm tempted by Jeanty, but too many other needs.
Very willing to trade back and still target an Edge or CB1, and don't feel horrible drafting a backup OT who can start at OG.
I'm seeing a lot of value into early day 3 since we're also looking at IOL, Safety, and WR.

[*bengalfan74*]

I agree there's very little chance Higgins is back. This team needs a crap ton of help on both the D and O lines and that should be their focus. In other words WR is down on my list of things to fix in draft.

[kevin]

First, I know Boyd has been gone.  I'm saying that if Higgins goes also, that is a problem.  Chase needs locked in long term.  Burrow needs more pass targets.  So I would not say a WR is low on the needs list in the 2025 draft, just the opposite.  Bengals better be bringing in a top rookie WR early in the draft so that Burrow has pass catchers to go back to Super Bowl.

But my post is Round One Defense is possible.  I have no College Favorites of Rah, Rah, Sis, Boom, Bah.  I'm looking at CBS Top Prospects and who is on the list from #1 to #20.   Mostly #10 to #20.   CBS has the Kentucky DT, the Georgia Safety and the Texas A &M Edge Rusher of true D Lineman Size.  Now the DT is in CBS top 10.  The Safety and Edge Rusher are in the Top 20.  So Bengals could be getting much needed Defensive help.  

However let's not kid ourselves that WR is not needed in 2025 draft.  Bengals could use a top WR rookie early in the draft also.  I've seen this team when they were a one trick pony with Chad or AJ Green and they were double and triple teamed and the team was awful.  This team went Super Bowl in 2021 season because they had all those top WR's for Burrow to throw to, not a one trick pony.  College Ball you might win with just one good WR, but not in the NFL. So in one of the early rounds, a WR.