2011 NFL Draft Review: Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals stepped into the NFL draft in a way that could be used to describe them all of the time: questionable and slightly chaotic.

Cincinnati is a ying-yang team of sorts, because while they have some solid talent in many different locations, they also have a lot of question marks. A solid QB in Carson Palmer could very well never play for the Bengals again. The dynamic duo of “Batman and Robin” (Chad Johnson Ochocinco Johnson and Terrell Owens) will not be back as a unit, as T.O. hits free agency and #85 could be traded.

The team has had questionable holes to fill here and there, but the greatest strategy for the team would have been buying insurance on their current talent so that they can avoid taking steps backwards. Don’t forget this is a team that won the AFC North only 2 years ago!

Top Needs:

Wide Receiver:  A few young players like Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell, and Quan Cosby started to show their ability at the end of last season as the rookie Jordan Shipley made an impact from day 1. BUT, without the star power of T.O. and Ocho, a handful of good receivers won’t get the offense far (just see the inner-state rival Cleveland Browns from the last few seasons). They need a big name playmaker to open it up.

Quarterback: Carson Palmer could probably be a solid quarterback for another half of a decade, but it won’t happen in Cincinnati. The Bengals need a new talent to help take the franchise forward.

Secondary: They have some solid talent at the corners in Joseph, Hall, and Jones, but who knows how long Joseph will be there (or how long Jones will stay out of trouble)? At safety they need some young talent as they are aging fast. Three safeties on their roster are under 27, but those three have only combined for 34 starts, and 31 have come from Chinedum Ndukwe. Am I being picky? A little bit. But don’t forget that the shelf life of safeties and running backs are the shortest on the field with their style of play.

Cincinnati Bengals Draft Picks:
Round 1, Pick 4 – AJ Green - Wide Receiver - Georgia
AJ can be an impact player on this Bengals team from day 1, and should easily find his way into the starting role with or without #85 still on the team. It was interesting that the Bengals didn’t move down in a trade with Atlanta (the one that Cleveland took), but they did net possibly the best receiver and one of the best pure players in the entire draft. A solid pick that will pay off for years.

Round 2, Pick 35 Overall - Andy Dalton – Quarterback – TCU
While Dalton is far from being a finished product, he is a perfect “west coast offense” style of QB that has intelligence and accuracy. The fact that some had him penciled in as a mid to late first round pick makes this a great selection overall. Add in the fact that Palmer is probably done, and you might have just selected a franchise quarterback.

Round 3, Pick 66 Overall - Dontay Moch - Defensive End - Nevada
Moch can be a solid player overall as some of his numbers were actually comparable to Von Miller’s (the 2nd overall selection by Denver). He did play in an inferior conference, however, and he also was a bit more raw. That being said, this is a guy with amazing athleticism and 28.5 sacks over the last four years as well. Add that in to his 189 career tackles, and you have a productive kid with a lot of upside.

Round 4, Pick 101 Overall – Clint Boling - Guard – Georgia
Boling is a great value pick here as the Bengals scooped up a big boy (6’5″ and 310 pounds currently … expect him to grow). He can also play anywhere on the line, and if he doesn’t push for a starting spot somewhere (probably at guard), he can be a top backup and insurance policy. That’s never a bad option for a 4th round pick.

Round 5, Pick 134 Overall – Robert Sands - Free Safety – West Virginia
This late round pick could be a late round steal. The Bengals did need to add in a young safety and they get one with tremendous production. Sands could have been taken as early as the 2nd or 3rd round, so grabbing him in the 5th is both value and need. He has the chance to develop into a starting free safety of the ballhawking variety in a year or two. Until then, he could be a solid backup and special teams player.

Round 6, Pick 167 Overall – Ryan Whalen – Wide Receiver – Stanford

The Bengals scoop up another talent that has upside here with the pick of Whalen in the 6th round. Whalen was a solid player at the college level, and with work can become an NFL talent. His best features are his work ethic and motivation, something that the Bengals can use. He might only be an insurance policy himself to a group that already has Ochocinco, Caldwell, Simpson, Shipley, Cosby, and now Green as well.

Round 7, Pick 207 – Korey Lindsey – Cornerback – Southern Illinois
The best time to take a flyer on a player is at the end of the draft … especially one from a small school. A player with good size for the CB position (6 feet, 1/2 inches, 190 pounds). He once recorded 5 interceptions in the same game and also was named first team All-American twice in his college career (junior and senior seasons). Not a bad selection at all for a 7th rounder.

Round 7, Pick 246 - Jay Finley – Running Back – Baylor
Finley could be a great selection at the end of the draft. He won’t be a “between the tackles” back, but his upside is apparent. Finley needs to get stronger (only 14 reps for the 225 bench press) and put on a little more weight (only 5’10″ and 202 pounds currently). That being said, he could develop into a nice role player rather quickly. Great pickup for an “end of the draft” pick.