Future of the Defensive Line.

[*Synric*]

The Defensive Line rebuild is the most important of off-season and they are nearly a blank slate. 

It doesn't feel like the Bengals have a starting DL on the roster outside of Trey Hendrickson. BJ Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Jay Tufele are all free agents and only Hill brings any kind of consistency to merit another contract. The three young top 100 picks Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins, and McKinnley Jackson all looked exactly like their college scouting reports without showing any of the ceiling. Sam Hubbard has dealt with nagging injuries that have kept him limited as a player most of his career which is on thr back end.


The Bengals should add multiple defensive linemen with different skill sets. A starting strong side defensive end, a nose tackle, a pass rushing defensive tackle, and a designated pass rushing edge.

[kalibengal]

(01-31-2025, 12:09 PM)Synric Wrote: The Defensive Line rebuild is the most important of off-season and they are nearly a blank slate. 

It doesn't feel like the Bengals have a starting DL on the roster outside of Trey Hendrickson. BJ Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Jay Tufele are all free agents and only Hill brings any kind of consistency to merit another contract. The three young top 100 picks Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins, and McKinnley Jackson all looked exactly like their college scouting reports without showing any of the ceiling. Sam Hubbard has dealt with nagging injuries that have kept him limited as a player most of his career which is on thr back end.


The Bengals should add multiple defensive linemen with different skill sets. A starting strong side defensive end, a nose tackle, a pass rushing defensive tackle, and a designated pass rushing edge.

yep, other then Trey its looking sub par right not although I saw some flashes of hope with the 2 rookie DTs.   Im hoping for a legit DE FA , and another one added high in draft, + we will need another run stuffer DT in FA most likely. Tough task seeing all the other holes that need plugging at G, TE, Safety and LB

[WeezyBengal]

I'm moving on from everyone except Trey, Murphy, and the young rookies. I'd offer Ossai an extension if the price is right (which should not be much).

Going to need to spend a first round pick on a legit edge or inteior guy then pick up a legit free agent on either edge or interior (whichever you didn't draft).

[lone bengal]

Agreed 2 of there top 3 picks probably have to be on the defensive line. McKinnley Jackson intrigues me somewhat he played better at the end of the year and showed some flashes creating pressure and some sacks. He has good size I wonder if they view him as a starting NT then you could use a 1st rd. Pick at edge or a penetrating 3 -tech.

[XsandOs]

If there was a year to take a DT in round 1 or 2, this is it. Moving back from 17 and getting another pick in top-50, could net a DT, CB and Edge.

Interior OL is weak this year. So round 3 would be the spot for TE.

[Luvnit2]

(01-31-2025, 12:09 PM)Synric Wrote: The Defensive Line rebuild is the most important of off-season and they are nearly a blank slate. 

It doesn't feel like the Bengals have a starting DL on the roster outside of Trey Hendrickson. BJ Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Jay Tufele are all free agents and only Hill brings any kind of consistency to merit another contract. The three young top 100 picks Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins, and McKinnley Jackson all looked exactly like their college scouting reports without showing any of the ceiling. Sam Hubbard has dealt with nagging injuries that have kept him limited as a player most of his career which is on thr back end.


The Bengals should add multiple defensive linemen with different skill sets. A starting strong side defensive end, a nose tackle, a pass rushing defensive tackle, and a designated pass rushing edge.

I agree DL needs major overhaul. The Bengals can't just let Tee go to FA because any compensary pick we potentially get for him would be offset by any FA (not cut players) we add prior to June 1. I hope we either keep him or tag and trade him.

If we sign Tee and keep him, less money to add vet FA's. It will critical how the FO navigates this off season. I do believe we should attempt to trade or cut Hubbard. Rankins is a mystery. Should we hold onto him or cut him and use the money to shore up DL or OL (guard).

[jj22]

This is the draft to load up on the Dline...... Spend free agency money on other spots.

[J24]

I actually think that Jackson can start at nose for us next season but yeah the rest D line should be addressed (outside of trey) in free agency  and the draft. 

[Whatever]

(01-31-2025, 02:06 PM)jj22 Wrote: This is the draft to load up on the Dline...... Spend free agency money on other spots.

It's a great draft class for DL, TE, and RB.  Pretty bad for OL and WR, though.

[Luvnit2]

(01-31-2025, 03:35 PM)Whatever Wrote: It's a great draft class for DL, TE, and RB.  Pretty bad for OL and WR, though.

I agree it is a great class for DL.I believe when all is said and done, there may be OL drafted in round1 and round 2 who start and do well for teams immediately. he key is us finding those players. 

No secret we have had bad drafts recently (2024 was not bad) and if a team misses on the draft, the only option to overcome a bad draft is to spend money and build through FA short. term.

We need to make great moves in FA and then have an awesome draft.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(01-31-2025, 12:09 PM)Synric Wrote: The Defensive Line rebuild is the most important of off-season and they are nearly a blank slate. 

It doesn't feel like the Bengals have a starting DL on the roster outside of Trey Hendrickson. BJ Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Jay Tufele are all free agents and only Hill brings any kind of consistency to merit another contract. The three young top 100 picks Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins, and McKinnley Jackson all looked exactly like their college scouting reports without showing any of the ceiling. Sam Hubbard has dealt with nagging injuries that have kept him limited as a player most of his career which is on thr back end.


The Bengals should add multiple defensive linemen with different skill sets. A starting strong side defensive end, a nose tackle, a pass rushing defensive tackle, and a designated pass rushing edge.

Nice thread Synric. It is a bit of a clean slate besides Trey. I would bring back BJ Hill and Ossai though. I like what I saw of McKinnley 
Jackson as a rookie and Kris Jenkins. But we don't know if they are the answers yet either, so you bring back BJ who is proven. Ossai 
should be cheap and he is an okay pass rusher, at least better than Hubbard for sure.

Adding a DL early in the Draft is probably the most likely as others said, it is not a deep Draft for OL or WR. Really like Walter Nolen 
the 3-tech out of Ole Miss. Or one of the DT's out of Michigan. Another End opposite of Trey would be great that actually can rush the
passer right out of the gate.

[CJD]

It's frustrating that we spend a 2nd and 3rd round pick on DT in 2024 after spending a 3rd round pick in 2022, and the defensive interior is still a massive problem that will require at least one major free agent addition and draft pick.

I hope Jenkins and Jackson have phenomenal sophomore campaigns, but right now we can't expect either of them to be a quality starter in 2025.

That's just a bad use of draft picks.

[Luvnit2]

(01-31-2025, 05:51 PM)CJD Wrote: It's frustrating that we spend a 2nd and 3rd round pick on DT in 2024 after spending a 3rd round pick in 2022, and the defensive interior is still a massive problem that will require at least one major free agent addition and draft pick.

I hope Jenkins and Jackson have phenomenal sophomore campaigns, but right now we can't expect either of them to be a quality starter in 2025.

That's just a bad use of draft picks.

Is it a bad use of draft picks or a lesson to learn unless a can't miss DT prospect is available, it will take 2 to 3 years for them to fully develop. a 20- or 21-year-old has not fully developed versus a 25- to 30-year-old OL. 

Neither guy we drafted was a top DT, not even close, yet we are going to expect them to be great year 1. The Bengals had 2 starting DT's, both hurt for stretches at the same time and one played very little all year.

Our use of FA has to be better. If we sign Reader, we most likely do not draft Jenkins and go for a different need like OG.

Once and for all FO loyalty needs to be given to those who earned their contracts. If they do, we cut at least 5 guys or at a minimum give them chance to take a severe pay cut. If they decline after they played poorly or could not get and stay on field all year, it is fair to ask them to take less.

Let's hope we do not make a similar mistake in 2025 by trusting anyone drafted to be a great plug and play option. The rookies need to beat out vets and not be given anything.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-31-2025, 05:51 PM)CJD Wrote: It's frustrating that we spend a 2nd and 3rd round pick on DT in 2024 after spending a 3rd round pick in 2022, and the defensive interior is still a massive problem that will require at least one major free agent addition and draft pick.

I hope Jenkins and Jackson have phenomenal sophomore campaigns, but right now we can't expect either of them to be a quality starter in 2025.

That's just a bad use of draft picks.

I don't feel like drafting Jenkins and Jackson was a bad use of picks, I think that they're going to be good players. What was bad, was allowing the situation to get to that point by the team management. I mean the way they played the DJ Reader situation and having to sign Sheldon Rankins in panic, only to get next to nothing out of him in production only exacerbated the situation.

[XsandOs]

(01-31-2025, 07:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I don't feel like drafting Jenkins and Jackson was a bad use of picks, I think that they're going to be good players. What was bad, was allowing the situation to get to that point by the team management. I mean the way they played the DJ Reader situation and having to sign Sheldon Rankins in panic, only to get next to nothing out of him in production only exacerbated the situation.

This. 

Panic moves rarely lead to good outcomes. 

[XsandOs]

(01-31-2025, 04:25 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nice thread Synric. It is a bit of a clean slate besides Trey. I would bring back BJ Hill and Ossai though. I like what I saw of McKinnley 
Jackson as a rookie and Kris Jenkins. But we don't know if they are the answers yet either, so you bring back BJ who is proven. Ossai 
should be cheap and he is an okay pass rusher, at least better than Hubbard for sure.

Adding a DL early in the Draft is probably the most likely as others said, it is not a deep Draft for OL or WR. Really like Walter Nolen 
the 3-tech out of Ole Miss. Or one of the DT's out of Michigan. Another End opposite of Trey would be great that actually can rush the
passer right out of the gate.

Nate, the top-50 has 6 DTS:
Mason Graham
Derrick Harmon
Tyliek Williams
Walter Nolan
Kenneth Grant
Deone Walker

Grant and Walker would be ideal as rotation with Jenkins and Jackson. Grant looks like another Reader. I like Walker out of the entire bunch. 6'7"+ about 340 who can rush from the interior? Getting him late in round 2 or early round three would be a steal.

We can't get Mason Graham and Derrick Harmon would be a reach at 17. Besides, I would want us to move back to get another top-50.

Nolan has a few different opinions written on him, so pick 17 would be a gamble, I think. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(01-31-2025, 10:45 PM)XsandOs Wrote: Nate, the top-50 has 6 DTS:
Mason Graham
Derrick Harmon
Tyliek Williams
Walter Nolan
Kenneth Grant
Deone Walker

Grant and Walker would be ideal as rotation with Jenkins and Jackson. Grant looks like another Reader. I like Walker out of the entire bunch. 6'7"+ about 340 who can rush from the interior? Getting him late in round 2 or early round three would be a steal.

We can't get Mason Graham and Derrick Harmon would be a reach at 17. Besides, I would want us to move back to get another top-50.

Nolan has a few different opinions written on him, so pick 17 would be a gamble, I think. 

As usual, I love your thoughts brother. Grant sure looks like a sure thing, but I do like McKinnley Jackson a lot who could also be a Reader.

It will tell a lot if we do go DT and whether we go NT or 3-Tech in this Draft. Honestly, I thought Kris Jenkins would of been better as the year
went on and he is supposed to be the future 3-tech of our DT's we drafted last year. He was just okay, so that makes me lean 3-tech right now.

Walter Nolen, Tyliek or Walker are the dudes I am wanting right now. Things shall change though as we all know.

[XsandOs]

(Yesterday, 12:21 AM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: As usual, I love your thoughts brother. Grant sure looks like a sure thing, but I do like McKinnley Jackson a lot who could also be a Reader.

It will tell a lot if we do go DT and whether we go NT or 3-Tech in this Draft. Honestly, I thought Kris Jenkins would of been better as the year
went on and he is supposed to be the future 3-tech of our DT's we drafted last year. He was just okay, so that makes me lean 3-tech right now.

Walter Nolen, Tyliek or Walker are the dudes I am wanting right now. Things shall change though as we all know.

I'm with you on Jenkins, Nate. I just hope we don't misuse and confuse him. 

Pair him with a NT and keep his weight in the 300lb range. The analogy we used with weight to height ratio on the football field was that of a tank running on a 4 cylinder engine (doesn't matter how much armor and gunpower you have, if you can't get to the target, you are useless).

Geno was effective in the 295-300 range and as the season went on, he was around 290. Keep Jenkins lean and mean, and don't burden him with 2 gap duty.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(01-31-2025, 10:45 PM)XsandOs Wrote: Nate, the top-50 has 6 DTS:
Mason Graham
Derrick Harmon
Tyliek Williams
Walter Nolan
Kenneth Grant
Deone Walker

Grant and Walker would be ideal as rotation with Jenkins and Jackson. Grant looks like another Reader. I like Walker out of the entire bunch. 6'7"+ about 340 who can rush from the interior? Getting him late in round 2 or early round three would be a steal.

We can't get Mason Graham and Derrick Harmon would be a reach at 17. Besides, I would want us to move back to get another top-50.

Nolan has a few different opinions written on him, so pick 17 would be a gamble, I think. 

Ty Robinson is another guy I'd look at, at 2 or (if he falls), round 3: think he'll be a good one.

[pulses]

(01-31-2025, 10:45 PM)XsandOs Wrote: Nate, the top-50 has 6 DTS:
Mason Graham
Derrick Harmon
Tyliek Williams
Walter Nolan
Kenneth Grant
Deone Walker

Grant and Walker would be ideal as rotation with Jenkins and Jackson. Grant looks like another Reader. I like Walker out of the entire bunch. 6'7"+ about 340 who can rush from the interior? Getting him late in round 2 or early round three would be a steal.

We can't get Mason Graham and Derrick Harmon would be a reach at 17. Besides, I would want us to move back to get another top-50.

Nolan has a few different opinions written on him, so pick 17 would be a gamble, I think. 

Walker had 2 bad days at the Senior Bowl and left. I think he's gonna drop a little bit.