Examining the Cincinnati Bengals’ three biggest positional needs ahead of the NFL draft
The 2024 NFL draft begins April 26 in Detroit and the Cincinnati Bengals, who have 10 picks this year, will look to add more talent to their roster over the three-day event.
Free agency sets up what NFL teams will do in the draft, and decisions the Bengals made in March help forecast what they will do at the end of April. After missing the playoffs in 2023, the Bengals are hoping to reload at positions of need and make another Super Bowl run in the upcoming season.
Here’s a look at the team’s biggest needs ahead of the 2024 NFL draft:
Defensive tackle
The Bengals’ biggest need heading into the offseason was at defensive tackle. It became an even bigger need after the team didn’t re-sign DJ Reader or sign a replacement for him. Cincinnati’s decision not to sign a nose tackle in free agency signals they plan to address the positional need through the draft.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins signed with the Bengals in free agency, but he doesn’t play the same position Reader did for the Bengals. Rankins’ best asset is his ability to rush the passer from the interior and that’s how the Bengals will utilize him mostly. If the Bengals’ coaching staff asks Rankins to play more on the run downs, it could take away from what he can do on the passing downs. Reader’s biggest role for the Bengals in his four years with the club was as the team’s best player against the run. Hist 6-foot-3 and 327-pound frame commanded a presence at the line of scrimmage and the Bengals need to replace that.
If the Bengals can add a talented nose tackle in the draft in the first two rounds, the interior of their defensive line will be vastly improved. Cincinnati was one of the worst defensive units against the run last season and adding a defensive tackle in the draft should be the team’s No. 1 priority.
Jer’Zhan Newton out of Illinois and Byron Murphy from Texas seem to be the two first-round locks at the defensive tackle position. Keep an eye on both of those names if they're available when the Bengals are on the clock at pick No. 18.
Right tackle
The Bengals have started a different right tackle each of the past three seasons. The team is hopeful to secure a long-term option and this might be the best year to do so considering the depth and talent in this year’s draft class at the tackle position. Cincinnati’s front office addressed the need in the short-term by signing veteran Trent Brown to a one-year deal in free agency. He is expected to start, but if the Bengals draft a tackle early, he’ll compete with Brown for the job. The ideal scenario for the Bengals would be to add a tackle with an early pick and groom him behind Brown for a year before taking over as the starter.
Right now, the two most popular positions draft pundits have the Bengals selecting with their first-round pick are tackle and defensive tackle. Here are a few of the most popular names linked to the Bengals at right tackle: Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, JC Latham and Amarius Mims.
Wide receiver
After two years of failed contract negotiations, all signs point to the Bengals and wide receiver Tee Higgins going their separate ways after this season. The Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins ahead of free agency with full expectation that he will play the 2024 season in Cincinnati.
What the Bengals need to plan for is life after Higgins and they’ll likely do so on Day 2 of this year’s draft. With Ja’Marr Chase on the roster and in the Bengals’ long-term plans, Cincinnati has its No. 1 wideout. The need is for the No. 2 wide receiver of the future. The Bengals want to add more speed to their offense but the team will also need to replace Higgins’ size on the outside.
Expect the Bengals to target a wide receiver in rounds 2-3 ff the NFL draft. The following names are expected to be available on Day 2: Adonai Mitchell, Roman Wilson, Xavier Worthy, Keon Coleman and Ja’Lynn Polk.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals biggest 2024 NFL draft needs
