This was a BIG draft for the Bengals because they chose two offensive linemen, three defensive linemen and two tight ends.
However it works out, this is heartening because it signals that they noticed they were not physically equipped to compete in the Big Boy Division of the NFL, a.k.a. the AFC North.
The Steelers (who also loaded up on the offensive line) and Ravens have been constructed to win old school for years, and now the Browns are, too.
Excluding the one in which Cleveland rested its starters, divisional games were a straight-up embarrassment last season for the Bengals, and those teams aren’t going away as long as they aren’t ravaged by injuries.
Physical football travels, and it is coming back into style as the spread revolution contracts.
Football has always been cyclical, and teams are embracing balance moving forward.
We can reasonably expect that to be true for the foreseeable future because many teams have seen the pros and cons from being too reliant on the passing game, which was itself an overcorrection from years of not embracing it enough.
The Bengals will always be pass-first with Joe Burrow at quarterback, but they need to lessen the burden on him if they want that era to last as long as possible.
I will believe they actually care about being more balanced when they actually show it, but it’s certainly not possible without the proper personnel.
»»»This was a somewhat risky draft for the Bengals, too.
That is not a criticism, just an observation.
Cincinnati can’t be accursed of playing it safe since they took a couple of players with some injury history (first-round offensive tackle Amarius Mims of Georgia and fourth-round tight end Erick All of Michigan/Iowa) and two more with character questions (third-round picks Jermaine Burton of Alabama and McKinnley Jackson of Texas A&M).
Of course, injuries are part of the game, and sometimes they are a matter of luck. Maybe Mims and All, who should be entering the league healthy, got some of theirs out of the way and won’t have problems going forward.
Burton and Jackson, who it should be noted was a two-time team captain, also could outgrow whatever issues they faced if they haven’t already. In that case, they can be major assets at receiver and defensive tackle, respectively.
Jackson is viewed as a run-stuffer only, so he could be a huge plus, but whatever they get from him might be considered a bonus.
Burton being a big contributor this season isn’t an absolute necessity, either, but he could save them from having to use an early pick in next year’s draft to replace Tee Higgins, who is likely to leave in free agency.
»»»The Bengals also added depth at center/guard in Matt Lee of Miami (Fla.), defensive end (Cedric Johnson of Mississippi), two more competitors in the secondary (TCU cornerback Josh Newton and Mississippi safety Daijahn Anthony) and another tight end (Tanner McLachlan of Arizona) who can fill out that room and provide some insurance if All’s recovery from a torn ACL hits a snag.
Overall, this look like a pretty good draft, but only time will tell.
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