Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals’ Biggest Weaknesses After Free Agency Could Change Draft Plans

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals only filled a few of their holes in free agency, and that leaves them in a position once again where there might be pigeonholed when it comes to the draft. You are Locked-on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up Bengals fans, and welcome to another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. He's James Rapidton. I'm Jake Liscoe, and today we dive into how Bengals Free Agency will impact the Cincinnati Bengals. in the 2026 NFL draft.

Starting point is 00:00:38 We're going to take a look at some ideal scenarios, some pairings of players. And I think one thing that we'll have to talk about as well, James, is whether or not they have, in fact, left themselves in a position where they're really going to be drafting for need and really going to take themselves out of considering certain positions or if maybe they're going to do things a very bengal-y way and try to draft for the future.

Starting point is 00:01:04 I'm not sure if you saw Paul, Dana's post free agency mock draft where it's so Bengals of just picking players for projecting future needs. When you think about how free agency has impacted how the Bengals can approach the draft, what's the first thing that comes to mind? And why is it Jeremiah Love? I'm just kidding. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But what are your initial thoughts about how the holes that they still have are going to impact their draft plans? It isn't Jeremiah Love in that. sucks. Like that, that, we graded free agency yesterday, so check that out. But the reason, like, the fact that I can't come on here and say they're set up to, to draft Jeremiah,

Starting point is 00:01:48 love, if he's there at 10, shows that they failed in free agency. Because they were, they could have realistically gotten there for me. And that doesn't mean that they wouldn't have had like a nickel corner hole or some kind of weakness. But they left these glaring. holes where it's like, yeah, there's not many scenarios where you can look at it and say, all right, well, yeah, Jeremiah Love is the best player available. By the way, not many scenarios where if he's there at 10, he isn't the best player available. And that's why I wanted them to put themselves in position to do that. And instead, they're probably fielding calls to potentially trade down if there's a team willing

Starting point is 00:02:28 to move up for Love and maybe going that route. And there may be people that say, yeah, do it. And it's like, no, I want the premium talent. I want to try to find a premium talent. And so when I look at what they didn't do in free agency, and that's what it really is, what they didn't do, my goodness, would it feel good if Sunny Stiles was there, which some may roll their eyes at it.

Starting point is 00:02:51 But I think that that's going to be high on a lot of people's board. And the thing is, it's unrealistic that he does make it to 10, I think, after his combined performance, but he might. Arvel Reese, it was always unrealistic. Obviously, if he's there, I think he would be arguably the favorite, probably the favorite at that spot, even with a guy like love. But you're thinking edge, you're thinking linebacker, oh, by the way, one of the best players in the draft might be a safety. And yeah, he could fill that need for you at Knuckle Corner, so that's fine. But can you pass on Ruben Bain for Caleb Downs?

Starting point is 00:03:27 if you have Caleb Downs clearly in a tier above or a half tier above Bain. Like that's what I wanted them to be in position to do is, hey, this guy is just better than the next guy. And sometimes those decisions are tough. Sometimes those decisions are controversial. In real time, everyone forgets, but in real time, Jamar Chase versus Penny Sewell. Like, even on the draft broadcast, they questioned it right away. Like it's one of those things where you want to be able to trust your board and go with BPA. And if you say, oh, well, Caleb Downs and Ruben Bain are both there, how realistic is it that they can pass on the pass rusher for the nickel corner slash safety?

Starting point is 00:04:14 I don't know. And that's what stinks is I wanted them to be in a position to go BPA regardless. And maybe that is Ruben Bain. Maybe that is Sunny Stiles. Maybe that is Arvall Reese or Jeremiah Love. or Caleb Downs. And I'm not sure they are going to be in that spot. And that really sucks because if they were in that spot,

Starting point is 00:04:34 I think they could still get a premier talent, even though there are so many people that don't think this draft is as good as other drafts. Well, it's not. So there's that. But there are still going to be players that can help. And that's also always true. Even in drafts that are considered not to be as strong as other drafts

Starting point is 00:04:50 are always players that turn out to be good. there's always a handful of guys and when you take yourself out of the running for certain positions or force yourself to consider tiebreakers in a certain way, as Bengals have done for the last several years, that makes it a lot harder

Starting point is 00:05:06 to find those values that do exist in the draft. Now, a lot of people probably think Caleb Downs is better than Ruben Bain. I think those guys are really close. I don't think that's a clear-cut example. I think the positional value comes into play there because they're very, very close as prospects, but that's a matter of opinion, right?

Starting point is 00:05:25 Like the Bengals are going to have their opinion. It's going to be different than mine are the same as mine, and they're going to be working through all these same tiebreakers. Say they have the same grade for film and medicals and whatever, and it comes down to which of these guys is a better value and a better need, a better immediate impact. Which of these things we need more? Well, actually, it turns out it's neither.

Starting point is 00:05:50 It's a corner. And that's the nightmare. that could occur. Or it turns out it's neither, and Sunny Stiles isn't available, and it's linebacker. And we need to get a linebacker. And it's a real reach for someone

Starting point is 00:06:03 that we haven't even talked about. Is it the biggest need? I don't really see a scenario where a corner can be the biggest need at 10. I'm just thinking about how they think and they drafted two linebackers last year. They haven't gotten these extensions done with these corners. Maybe they think, you know what,

Starting point is 00:06:19 we're going to pay one. We're going to do what we did with Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph and we need to make sure we backfill for corner. We don't have a starting slot corner right now. Drafting for the future, right? The best player available happens to be a corner. The nightmare is really like the reach for the guy that we haven't talked about.

Starting point is 00:06:37 Because honestly, like if they get any of those five guys, the five top players on defense. Same. The two edge rushers, Ruben Bain and David Bailey. David Bailey, thank you. Yep. Rvel Riesh, sure, if he makes it, right? But nobody's expecting that.

Starting point is 00:06:56 Sunny Stiles or Caleb Dows, I think we're pretty happy with any of those five guys. I thought you were going to name one of the corners. No. That's a whole other, yeah. No, you're hoping for one of those five guys. But if those five guys go, which they probably do at least 50% of the time, if you're projecting like scenarios, you need a couple of linemen, a wide receiver, and probably Jeremiah Love to have a selection.

Starting point is 00:07:21 at 10 for those five guys to have one of those or two of those guys make it to you. That's a big ask. Those guys are, I think, considered to be consensus top nine players. And so you're going to have teams trading and maneuvering and the Bengals are not a team that is likely to move up. And then it gets spicy. Like if you're picking between corner or Dylan Thineman who now finds himself projected in the top 15 somewhat regularly or maybe even a guard or going down to Caldric. Falk are going down to the next linebacker and they can't trade back and they just want to go with the guy that they think they like best. That's the scenario that you really want to avoid because

Starting point is 00:08:00 that's how you end up reaching. Yeah. No, no doubt. And that's it. It's like the Keldrick Falk is the example here. Like if you end up with Rubin Bain, I think most people are going to be happy, right? And rightfully so. But it's, oh, well, Caleb Downs is there. But we feel a position, a position value element here. Or maybe it's Thineman in Falk, right? Let's just go to the next level. Well, Theneman comes in and probably plays a ton, as does downs. But Falk is the that plays the position that the Bengals could certainly address and look to address.

Starting point is 00:08:37 And that's why I've always been in, well, the past month, been in a sign two edges. Like sign two, not one. So it didn't feel like you needed to have a guy that can play. at edge because it's just if you don't take one at 10, then it's going to get harder at 41, and then it's going to get harder at 72 to find that guy. And you better get one in the fourth round.

Starting point is 00:08:58 I just don't want them to feel like they need to force it anywhere. And you painted some of those scenarios where, man, oh man, I wish you were in position to draft Jeremiah Love. Like, there's no scenario where they should take Keldrick Falk over Jeremiah Love, and I do not care.

Starting point is 00:09:17 I don't care. I don't care what the defense looks like. I don't care about it. I don't care because one is going to be really, really good. And the other one feels like a roll of the dice. And we're going to talk about Fandall in a second. That's where it's fun. It's not fun to actually do it when you're talking about wagering on this superhuman unknown with the 10th overall pick.

Starting point is 00:09:36 And that's where I think the conversation continues is the position they're in and where they could be if those guys are gone. It's a tough one. And it's scary when you look at the Bengals. track record. So we'll continue the conversation coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandall. Fandall is America's number one sports book. And you got to check them out today because college hoops are here. And so is all of the tournament fun. I've wagered on multiple different games, multiple different parlays this week ahead of the tournament. And Fandle is giving

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Starting point is 00:12:01 And that's the scary part to me is they feel like they need the edge or they feel like they need the defensive tackle. And they take a guy because it fills that void. And that's the beauty of the Jonathan Allen signing is it's not as glaring. And it does fill it enough to where I'm not sure that they would force defensive tackle if it's not BPA. which makes me feel a little bit better. But I don't want to force it. I don't want extension talks with a corner to impact the 10th pick. I'll find another corner and another round,

Starting point is 00:12:35 if that's the concern and depth is the concern. I want a premium talent, and I wanted them to put themselves in position to take the premium talent, whatever the position is, realistically, probably would be on defense anyway. But now it feels like there's not many, if any scenarios, when they go to do their mocks over the next month and prepare for this draft,

Starting point is 00:12:56 that the Bengals are going to go offense with the 10th selection. That would be pretty surprising if they landed on offense much. Yeah, with the extension of Orlando Brown, that reduces a likelihood in my mind of them going tackle, which I thought was like the offensive option at pick number 10 because if you're paying Orlando Brown, you're about to be paying Aramis Mims, and you're going to spend that much more money

Starting point is 00:13:21 and a premium resource on offensive line, that would be surprising to me. Now, maybe they see Francis Maui Noah, the Miami tackle slash guard is a guy who can play right guard and in the long term. They think he has an Andrew Whitworth-like path. You know, and again,

Starting point is 00:13:39 not fair to compare anybody to Andrew Whitworth in the career he had. But like if they see a guy with that kind of potential, then maybe that's how they talk themselves into it. but like the idea of the BPA being Jeremiah Love, who for many people is just the best player in the draft period, right? For many people, he's just going to have the best film grade. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:14:01 And there's going to be a challenge with Caleb Downs for some people, Sonny Stiles for some people, maybe one of these Eddrusters, Oval Reese, for some people. But a lot of people think that just on tape, Jeremiah Love's best player, regardless of position in the draft, really hard for you to sell me on that vision right now. based on what they did in free agency, which like you said,

Starting point is 00:14:21 it's not a good place to leave yourself. Now, maybe you get to a point where he's gone and no offensive linemen have been picked and the defensive players have been picked, you're probably still not considering an offensive player there. Like maybe the guard from Penn State, whose name I'll probably mess up. I own.

Starting point is 00:14:43 I'm not sure how exactly his last name is pronounced, us, but like Kenyon Sadiq, like they're probably not considering these guys at this point, even in a trade-down scenario. Like they've kind of forced themselves into a spot where it's got to be defense in the first round. Yeah. The only one, again, would be love. In the, I get what you were saying about like the Andrew Whitworth thing. It would be, do you think he's a high-end guard, like minimum, like premium high-end guard?

Starting point is 00:15:14 Like really high end guard. No doubt. Like Nelson. Yeah. Well, that's it. They would have played Nelson at tackle. Like they thought he was a stud and he could do both. And they were obviously desperate for tackle back then.

Starting point is 00:15:28 And they didn't get close to drafting him. But that's the point is there isn't that guy. There just isn't. We would know. Like that's where like two years ago when they drafted Amarius Mims, like there was a lot of buzz about the offensive linemen. And it was like, oh, right? The Penae Soule draft, same thing.

Starting point is 00:15:49 And it's because when there's that kind of talent, you hear about it. This isn't that draft. And that's one of the areas where, like, to your point, it's different than other drafts. It's not as talented in some areas. But that's even more reason for me when I was laying out, all right, best case scenario or ideal scenario for the Bengals, why you have to fill these voids, fill these. these gaps. Like if they had Arnold Ebakedi along with Boyet-Mafe, does it feel like they need to force edge? Like, sure, they could go edge. But you have two first-round picks, Mafei and

Starting point is 00:16:26 Ebikady. Like, that feels pretty darn good of guys that were early day two or day one picks that have shown something in the NFL or you're heavily invested in. And now it's like, yeah, like edge is a huge spot that they could address and do they could you imagine if they took Falk over Downs like you know like I wouldn't do that I think downs plays a ton and is an instant impact and I hope that they understand that because of how they could use him with the other two safeties but I don't know if it's as much of a given as it would have been had they addressed linebacker had they addressed the the defensive line with one more spot like then it would be pretty easy, a plug-and-play type scenario where you're rounding out your defense,

Starting point is 00:17:13 that's what I wanted them to be in position to do, and they're not. And so that's scary. That leaves the unknown, the mystery box at pick 10. And I don't want mystery. Mystery is the opposite of what you want, unless you're drafting Jackson, Carmen, because then you go opposite. I'm just trying to think of scenarios that we knew ahead of time. We had a really good feeling about Jamar. There was no mystery there. I had a good feeling they were going to take Jackson Carmen on that day, I would have rather went with the mystery box, but very few scenarios would I pick mystery box over the known commodity? I think part of this is really how do you navigate these scenarios where all these players

Starting point is 00:17:53 are picked? Like the scenario where you don't get the extra offensive linemen or wide receiver in the top 10, and you can't pick any of those five defensive guys. You can't pick Jeremy, I love. Not that I think the Bengals would. And then you're considering. In that scenario. But go ahead.

Starting point is 00:18:08 Yeah. not that I think they would. I don't think they could consider Jeremiah I love at this point or would consider Jeremiah I love at this point. And maybe we're wrong about, maybe I'm wrong about that. But if you're considering one of the two corners who are good players,

Starting point is 00:18:22 but Jamal McCoy is dealing with crazy injury recovery stuff if he still hasn't done his athletic testing, like if he can't prove that he's healthy before the draft, I don't know how you can go in that direction. Mansoor Delane has his own question marks attached to him. Again, good player question marks there. Dylan Thineman was a player who maybe is deserving of that pick. I think that we're going to talk a lot about Dylan Thineman between now in the draft,

Starting point is 00:18:46 that there will be some dedicated discussion around Dylan Thineman. But those guys are not the guys we've been talking about for a couple of months. So maybe Dylan Thineman gets into that conversation, and that works his way into a spot. We're like, yeah, we're fine with Dylan Thineman at 10. but the the Keldrick folk of it all or if there's a linebacker that they have after Sunny Seiles that they're like how we're not going to get him in the second round but we really like him and you know it's a Demetrius knight like situation where it's like we don't think we're

Starting point is 00:19:22 going to get him in the third round we got to take him now and they do that at pick number 10 again I don't think that's going to happen I don't think that's very likely but not a position you want to be it. I think one thing that we can do to paint a potentially happier picture, James, is, well, what are some of the ideal combinations of players that we think they could land in a couple rounds? Just a couple scenarios, because we have a lot of time to talk about scenarios, which he now in the draft, but just a couple scenarios of some ideal fits based on what they did in free agency. We'll finish the show with that coming up next. Today's show is brought to by five-hour energy, and we're talking draft today.

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Starting point is 00:20:52 Five-hour energy right now by going to five-hour energy. com or check them out on Amazon. James, based on what they've done in free agency, Who do you think the most ideal pick at number 10 would be when you mix together all the stuff that we've talked about? Yeah, I think the pass rush area is where it is like because to me you look at it and it's like, well, they're strong. It's a safety draft where you can find safeties. You can find nickel corners after pick 10. And you could certainly find linebackers.

Starting point is 00:21:30 but if you could get one of those dominant edges and suddenly that guy is like a real dude that you if you're me we're hoping they'd sign in free agency right so Ruben Bain and David Bailey like those are the two for me I think Bailey's going to be gone similar to Reese I think he's held in pretty darn high regard by NFL teams

Starting point is 00:21:51 the Bain one is the one that because of the arm length I think there is a path but even so I don't think it's a great path So I think that's probably like the top realistic scenario is you get Bainer Bailey. Yeah, I think I'm with you. Bainer Bailey. And we haven't really talked about this in a while. We've been locked in on free agency.

Starting point is 00:22:12 So it's funny that we're in the same same path here. I did a couple of simulators, to be honest. I ran through him a couple times after free agency. Like I guess Monday probably is when I did this. And there are a couple scenarios where I picked Caleb Downs in the first round. and you can obviously make it work there. But like you said, there are worlds where you can get good safeties

Starting point is 00:22:35 outside of the first round. Not necessarily the game changer like Caleb Downs, if he in fact is that, as he appears to be. But the options at edge that really project to be big impact guys in the NFL, it's a good edge class, but there's a significant falloff,

Starting point is 00:22:53 I think, from Bailey Bain to the next set of guys. There's a significant falloff at safety, but there's so many options there that you can kind of pick your flavor. And as we've seen in years past, I think, and kind of as illustrated in free agency this year to some degree, and in past years, there's sometimes a glut of talent at safety, like of all the positions where talent is scarce, like interior defensive line, offensive tackle, quarterback, obviously,

Starting point is 00:23:21 tight end to some degree, although this year's tight end class, apparently, Dane Bruegler can't find the bottom of was his sweet. on Tuesday, I think, like you can't find where the tight end class talent runs out. Good tight end class. Speaking of, yeah, speaking of like drafts and talent-wise, it would be nice if there was that high-end, tight-end talent from the past couple of years. There's no Brock Bowers.

Starting point is 00:23:44 Cedique isn't bats. Codick is at Colston-Loveland or Tyler Ward. It'd be great because that could be like the worst-case scenario, right? And I can't even get there right now. And that's a bummer. Yeah. So if it's first round edge, let's just continue wandering down this path. Yep. Second round, ideal fit is, for me, let's, I'll go first this time.

Starting point is 00:24:12 I think it's probably linebacker there, right? And go second round, lineback for the second straight year. I think a lot of times you can find really strong values at linebacker in the second round. I think that the linebacker class is quite strong, but it does start to fall off a little bit. especially after day two. So round two seems like a good spot for that. I think that you can probably get some safeties that you can still appreciate or nickels if that's the role they're looking for now that just not Justin Reed.

Starting point is 00:24:41 That's the other safety from Kansas City. Now that Brian Cook is on the roster. So that's where I go in the second round if they've gone edge in the first round. Where do you go in the second round if they've gone edge in the first round? Yeah, I think linebacker could certainly be it. I think that, man, that's certainly the Caleb Banks, if he's their territory where I think that that like prediction. Like I think they would just jump all over it because it's really hard to find in all of those things. So I think that, like if you could find, like if Peter Woods for whatever reason fell or this defensive tackle that you think is, it has the upside.

Starting point is 00:25:21 Like that would be the ideal scenario. I don't know how realistic it is. And I get it, people are going to be like, oh, thanks, this, that. So, yeah, I think realistically, you would either find that safety that you feel like can play now with your guys. And so that would be moving into the nickel

Starting point is 00:25:40 and doing a hybrid role, so to speak, this year. Or a linebacker that's going to come in and run the show might be a bit much. But I think that a linebacker, that's going to come in and make an impact that when you compare him to who Demetrius Knight Jr., there is no comparison from a prospect standpoint, because you need to find, like, if you're doing another line, picking another linebacker 41st overall, that dude better be ready to go. And I think there's a chance that that that happens and that you find that in this year's class. I think Demetrius Knight's probably

Starting point is 00:26:18 a day three pick if he's in this year's class. So I hopefully, hopefully, they can find that if they go linebacker. Certainly when you look at their needs, and that's what's tough is. Now we're need-based drafting, which is probably the least, my least favorite thing to do when it comes to the draft, and certainly the one thing that you don't want to do

Starting point is 00:26:39 is feel like your hands are tied a bit. Yeah, and maybe it's DeAngelo Pons angle in the second round. I wonder if he is for the NFL. I mean, they didn't play Mike Hilton for several years, and DeAngelo Pons is much more athletic. than Mike Hilton was, not to take a shot at Mike, but like, Pons tested and moves different than Mike did in a similarly sized body.

Starting point is 00:27:06 Maybe it's a different corner. Maybe it's Chris Johnson, San Diego State Corner, and that ends up being the direction they go. I just think, like, if things are going their way, a linebacker slips to them in the second round that was kind of like a first second round guy, because a lot of the guys right now are consensus

Starting point is 00:27:26 like Jacob Rodriguez is a consensus 52 like late second round Jake Golda, Cincinnati linebacker late second round Josiah frauder Missouri linebacker and Jeremiah Trotter son is an early is like in that second third round fringe and Kyle Lewis Pittsburgh at 75

Starting point is 00:27:42 will be a fun target in the third round but like maybe you're right and the ideal is to get like the Peter Woods slip into the second round or Caleb Banks in the second round. But go ahead. Well, I think,

Starting point is 00:28:00 I don't think Rodriguez is going to fall in around. Like I, I think if you take him, he may not even be there at 41. I think he's going to have a lot of fans. And so that, that one's going to be interesting. Do they like him? Are they in there?

Starting point is 00:28:15 Yeah. I'll believe it when I see it about them drafting a barricat. It just doesn't feel like that's something that they're, that in on. It just hasn't happened much. And so, yeah, we'll see. Maybe it is the year of the Bearcat and Gold Day is maybe a trade down target because that's the other element here is that they trade down.

Starting point is 00:28:33 They get a fifth and get their pick, their day three pick and then do that route. I just want a guy that could come in and make an impact on whatever role you're hoping. And they failed to do that last year in round two. The year prior, they failed. to do that with Chris Jenkins. These picks are like in the 40s are still hard to nail but it shouldn't be this challenge.

Starting point is 00:29:01 You should be able to get a good player in the top 50 in the past couple of years. Maybe they turn into good players, but they haven't been good players. I wonder where they would be then on safety in the third round if it comes to that. Like if they don't get the Caleb Downs, Dylan Thineman,

Starting point is 00:29:20 Manuel McNeil Warantier of players, how incentivized are they to go after one of these safeties? Maybe it's like a Jalen Kilgore type, who's more of a nickel type of safety, or Kiante Scott would also fit this mold, Kianti Scott a little bit older from Miami. I wonder where they start to consider those guys at this point, given the investment they've made at safety

Starting point is 00:29:43 and the way that they've talked about Jordan Battle. Yeah. I don't really see the path. This is where it's interesting, like tying it all together, like with the corners and stuff, the path where you pay battle and you're paying both corners because you're already paying Cook.

Starting point is 00:29:59 And so you're going to have to make a decision there. And in what they do, like if they draft A.J. Halsey, then it's like, all right, well, that's your battle. That's your battle replacement. He's going to be this thumper with Cook on the back end long term. We'll see.

Starting point is 00:30:15 But I'm just giving you the scenario, especially the second round scenario. McNeil Warren, I would probably say the same thing is all right well battle you're here for a year but you're probably going to go elsewhere and i'm not sure that's the wrong decision i think the wrong decision is is not paying dcs and dj and in battle is by far third on that list for me of those three guys on who you should pay yeah you're trying to find the best collection of high-end talent and probably the way to do that is keep your better players and see if you can find the the level of replacement

Starting point is 00:30:52 or better at the position where you have the player who's just not quite on the level. And maybe battle takes a set this year and proves that he's on that level too. And that's a great problem to have. But last year, I thought the corners were better. I don't think there's much debate about that. And so that's probably the approach. And maybe it is a downs 10 and then whatever else ends up being the ideal scenario where you get an edge rusher that matters. our mates and Thomas maybe.

Starting point is 00:31:25 Sure. In Downs is this super nickel defensive weapon that they unleash and unlock. And then next year, he, you know, him and Cook make up one of the best safety tams in the league. Like you can sell me on that being an ideal scenario as well. And so that's good. At least we named three different players in the first round that could potentially work from that perspective. And there are others. Yeah, you can make it work with sunny styles too. You can make it work with Arvel means, obviously, if he falls, but we're not expecting.

Starting point is 00:31:56 And they like Sunny. I know they like Sunny. And obviously, who doesn't like Arvel? Like, I know some don't, I guess, but they do. They would be in on Arvel at 10. We'll continue to pick apart the ways that the Bengals can attack this draft class, obviously. We're now at that time of year, James, for about a month. I'm excited for that.

Starting point is 00:32:17 The draft is fun. Sign some guys. Yeah, we'll see if they sign some guys. And if they do, we'll have you covered right here. on lockdown Bengals. Until next time, thanks for listening to this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast, Hoodeh. And have a good look.

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