Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals' roster holes could FORCE their hand in 2025 NFL draft | How Cincinnati could be forced to draft for need

Episode Date: April 9, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals are going to have a tough time doing EVERYTHING in the 2025 NFL draft. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down how the Bengals are juggling needs for a starting guard, linebacker, and upgrades on the defensive line in the draft.  That doesn't even mention an opportunity to upgrade positions like tight end and running back that could be seen as "luxuries" on offense. Plus, there will be a potential need to add a veteran after the draft depending on which priorities they can't address.Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!ChewyChewy has everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy. And right now you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by Clicking this link: https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l3Huc8/creativeref:1011l164602GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cincinnati Bengals approach to free agency is going to leave them with holes they cannot address in this draft. Which holes those will be? That's the question. Let's get into it. 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 Locked On Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liscoe.

He's your host, James Rapine, and we are Lockheles. Lockdown Bengals on the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Lockdown Bengals covering the Cincinnati Bengals daily here on the Lockdown Podcast Network since 2016. We're now on YouTube. So all the everydayers out there probably already know it, shout out to you. And if you'd like to join that club and not miss an episode of Lockdown Bengals, especially this time of year as we're leading into the NFL draft, just hit that subscribe button wherever you get your podcast.

And we appreciate all of you out there that make us your first. listen. Today we're going to spend some time talking about the needs heading into the draft, essentially, that the Bengals have left themselves after a free agency that did not sign enough starters and is requiring the Bengals to then find those players in the draft. And as we talked about yesterday, James, for so long when we got to the running back topic, something will not get done in this draft. It's almost inevitable that that will be the case.

and it's up to the Bengals and to mitigate whatever that incomplete part of the roster is as best they can, whether that's with veteran moves after the draft, with undrafted of free agents, with development. We'll see no NFL roster, of course, is perfect. And then we've got another top 30, 30 visit to talk about another Tennessee defensive linemen that the Bengals are hosting for a pre-draft visit.

But when you look at this depth chart, James, and we have. We've talked about this. But with the draft imminent at this point, it is very obvious that in our conversation yesterday, I think, revealed this as well. It will be nearly impossible to come out of this draft feeling like you've done everything you needed to do this offseason. Yeah, they've put themselves in a position where they need a starting guard. They need a more pass rush.

They need, need. need. There are a lot of needs. And like the absolute minimum is one starting guard. But if they, if they landed two, I don't think anybody would be complaining because that's where they're at. You could certainly argue that they don't have a starting guard on the roster. They may have a guard that's going to start on the roster. It's a very different thing. And that's where it starts. And so, for those that heard the conversation yesterday at the end of the show and it's like oh well running back well yeah i mean running back is a need but to your point there's like a thousand needs

lb2 is a need you want juice as in the past rush you want uh to to potentially add a tight end at some point but like tight end and running back and linebacker aren't considered super high positions of value but you need a starting linebacker and where do they find that Like that's what's tough here is, I think if you would have taken a poll a month ago, let's go a month ago, because that's before the legal negotiating period, negotiating window, started. We would have thought that they would have had a starting guard that they had signed and probably a Germain Pratt replacement, that they would have signed someone that could come in and do that or have something resolved with Germain Pratt where he's either cut, where there's another pick involved because you're able to trade him.

But you put that money to good use. And instead, his cap hit remains. You haven't traded him. Maybe they do. You haven't signed a starting guard. You haven't cut Gino Stone and gone after a safety that could be the guy in that room. And instead, you're rolling with Gino Stone and hoping that he's better if you can't get a safety early.

Because there's a scenario. You look at all the mocks and it's like, all right, well, there's going to be a guard here. and then a safety here and then a defensive line here. Well, what if the draft just doesn't fall that way? And you don't get a safety. And it's really us talking about like five guys that could come in, maybe six, that could come in and potentially take Gino's job. That's just a tough place to be in.

And it's okay if it's just safety. And we're talking about that or it's just defensive line or it's just guard. Like you can get by with a big need. but it's those plus linebacker plus all of the other things that you would really like. And in this class, I would really like to address running back. And I think they would too. By the way, if they didn't want two this year, then they should have taken one of the 10 picks last year and done it. It's just there's so many things.

And with six picks, it's why everyone has said only six picks. Six picks isn't much different than normal. But when you had 10 picks last year and you look around and there's all these weaknesses, It feels like you need a bunch more picks, and I'm just not sure they're going to be able to trade down even though they're going to want to. And even if you do, there's a drawback to trading down. You are giving up value with the premium pick that you're moving back for.

And maybe that doesn't change the player you're targeting. NFL teams are targeting a specific player when they trade back or play yours, maybe a player or two. And when they trade back, they probably don't feel like they're stepping down at tier and they're adding shots in the draft, which is great. but it doesn't always work out, obviously. Plenty of examples of this throughout NFL history. James, a while ago, I was talking to Joe Goodberry,

and we tried to rank the severity of needs when we were looking at the Bengals roster. We came up with a one to 10 system where 10 essentially is you can't line up at all. Like the players you have on the team right now, you cannot line up and run a snap. You don't feel like you can do that with the personnel on the roster. Okay. down to if we added a player this position of one,

it wouldn't really make an impact on the roster because we're so set there. In the middle, five is like there's an upgrade opportunity. Yep. And if you need other numbers specifics, we can get into them, not going to run through them all now. But we're going through the positions that the Bengals need, and we landed on guard is a 10th. We don't feel like you can line up with the guards on the roster today.

we don't feel like there's a starting level guard on the roster. At nine, second highest priority, we ended up at defensive end. And this was at a time when maybe Trey was in a little bit more flux. Maybe this is eight where there's a pressing need there instead of a barely lineup. But there's definitely still a need at edge, especially with Trey Hendrickson's future in doubt. We ended up eight for defensive tackle where there is a severe need for someone to step up, whether that's one of last year's picks or somebody they draft this year to be an impact interior defender, where they have solid depth there and a solid rotation there, but they're missing that top level player, that difference maker.

Safety, seven, significant upgrade opportunity. Tight end was a six, but we kind of thought this is a luxury area where they may not be able to address it. It might not actually make a huge difference. We've seen them survive with the kind of tight end room and thrive on offense, that they have, now and linebacker ends up at a six where it's it's less pressing but it's still in need maybe that one should be elevated do any of those stand out as as very off base to you what's the plan with germane pratt yeah that that that's like the the weird elephant in the room right now like if if you're talking about a linebacker room where they're just going to keep germane now

and much like tray right where it they certainly feel like they're going to keep tray and it's just the matter of what gets done, what doesn't get done. Maybe they trade him, but I don't think that's going to happen. But if it's a linebacker room of Logan Wilson, Germain Pratt, Orrin Berks, and then you fill it out with special teamers, well, that's fine. I think we've all kind of resigned ourselves to he's not going to be on the roster, which creates that, that urgency, which theoretically would have meant go get a starting linebacker and free agency.

I mean, that's what I would have done. I also get wanting to get cheaper. behind Logan Wilson since you're already paying one you don't want to pay a bunch of spend money if you're if you're building your team with a bunch of guys at linebacker so I get that but that's that's kind of the elephant in the room there I will say there's one thing that you said that I'm not sure aligns with not that I disagree that aligns with the Bengals line of thinking and that doesn't mean that they're not going to address the position but I think it's going to be kind of kind of controversial.

So we'll get to my thoughts and me trying to get into the Bengals mindset here with the draft less than, well, 15 days away, almost two weeks away, Jake. We'll do that coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Game Time. Game Time is the app you need right now to get tickets to all of your favorite events.

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purchase with game time. What is this position, Jays, that we are over-prioritizing in your mind compared to where you think the Bengals are? I wonder if they view defensive tackle as as much of a, not that they're not, I mean, we're going to talk about Omar Norman Mott in a second. Like, I just wonder if they're like, yeah, we're going to add maybe one to that room. but it's not, it's not nearly as pressing after we got T.J. Slayton, and we're going to have BJ Hill, and we're going to have these two guys that we believe in in McKinley Jackson and Chris Jenkins Jr.

Like, maybe it's a seven or a six for them. That's all. I think a lot of people would have it at an eight. I think there's a lot of our listeners and viewers that would have it at a nine. And I just wonder if the Bengals are a little lower on that. Obviously, there's a strength of the class, especially on, well, depends on how you view it. But the first. few rounds of this class, I would say. And so will they get one? I think there's a good chance, but I'm not sure that they view it as as pressing as just consensus, not just you and Joe, but just consensus views that position. Yeah, it's an awkward situation that we talked about when they signed T.J. Slayton and brought back B.J. Hill, where there are four guys on the roster right now,

a defensive tackle, which is both not very many. There's no like practice squad kind of guys on the roster defensive tackle right now. There's no future contract kind of guys on the roster defensive tackle right now. It's just those four guys. But also that's a lot because those guys are all going to be on your roster. Slayton will be your nose tackle. BJ Hill is obviously locked up on a three-year deal in Chris Jenkins and McKinley Jackson or second year players. Those guys are all going to be on the team. They're all going to play. They're all right now slated to be active on game day. So if you have four active DTs for week one, how pressing is that neat on the one hand.

On the other hand, you do not have enough bodies there to get through camp right now. You do not have enough bodies if there's an injury. And you do not have that high-ceiling player, that difference maker that you have an opportunity to try to add this year, whether that's a specialist, which I would view Omar Norman Lott as more of a specialist type in that role or a potential three-down player like a Derek Harmon or a Walter Nolan. Or I have no idea how they view it. Maybe they think Kenneth Grant can develop into a Dexter Lawrence-esque pass rusher.

Maybe he doesn't get to that kind of lofty comparison, but he can make that kind of difference where he can play up to that athleticism and add to his past rushing game. And so they do go to a nose tackle like that. Or maybe it is even Tileyk Williams or any of the number of options beyond those top guys. there's a clear opportunity here to get better, right? And I think they're aware of that too. I mean, look at the guys they've had pre-draft contact with Nolan, most notably among those that we talked about earlier this week.

But not only that, there's a severe need for depth. And maybe that ends up being a day three pick and some undrafted free agents to get through camp and some street free agents to get through camp. Maybe that's where they end up there. Because right now they only have four guys. So they're certainly adding someone. It's just a question of how much it.

prioritize it to your point after they do feel like they've probably invested a fair amount of resources there between last year's draft fix and this year to free agents with BJ Hill's return and T.J. Slayton. That's what was tough. That's what was tough about the addition. Not Slayton. You needed a nose tackle. It goes without saying, but you keep BJ Hill and he's going to be here this year and next year. Look at that deal. We talked about it. Certainly off camera. I'm not sure if we did it during the pod, but it's not that they won't add, because I do think, odds are good. It might be the first round, by the way. But there's also a scenario where they look at it and it's like, all right, well, if you miss out on certain guys, and I think that's why

they're doing all their day two homework too, is it very well. Could be that range where they take one at 49 or 81. And does that guy, by the way, does that guy push for playing time right away if Chris Jenkins levels up? And McKinley Jackson is working his tail off. And those guys are ready to go. Like, there's, there's just a lot to it. I think that's what's, that's what's wild to me is you could argue defensive tackles a huge need, edge is a huge need, linebacker is a really, like if Jermaine Predd isn't here, it's a huge need, and then guards the biggest need of them all. But like, tight end running back, like those are things they could use.

Like, we saw what Eric Al brought. And by the way, I've seen a bunch of comments. Eric Al is out for the 2025 season. I'm sure if you listen to us every day, you know that. but I've seen people on social media that haven't gotten that. So just in case you haven't known, Eric Al is out for the 2025 season. His football future is certainly in doubt,

which really sucks after that knee injury. But it would be nice to be able to take a tight end at some point. I think it would be nice to take a tight end at 17. And they're not in a position to do it. You said it earlier this week. Can you imagine how defenses would have to prepare if the Bengals are like, man, Colston Lovelland is just going to be every,

everything Eric all was and then some. If he's going to be Sam Leporta with even more juice in the passing game because of the way his ability to run routes. Like that's not crazy of a projection. If they feel that way, I don't know if they do. But I think if they took Colston-Loveland, people would want to riot because of the lack of additions in key spots. And that's what's so tough here is in a draft that especially at the middle part of the first round feels like you're, you're probably taking a second rounder in a lot of ways. You're going to view it. And unless someone falls,

you're almost forced to take a need as well in a big need. Not a, oh, it would be nice to have this. Or we could go, they almost have to go defensive tackle, defensive end or guard. And that doesn't feel great to me.

I hate that. And not that that won't be the best player available. Maybe it is. But you want to go into the draft feeling like, whatever we take whoever we add, we're going to get that a top player and add him to our roster. And it just doesn't feel like they're in position to blanket statement that because of the needs they have.

It's one of those jokes that we've had that's not really a joke that is the Bengals are going to leave themselves with one glaring knee going into the draft. And it's more than one this year. In past years, it's been, well, I mean, last year it was very obvious who were going to take a tackle in the first round if they could. And they did. And this year, while that's maybe not as obvious, there are a few different directions they can go

because the depth of the draft is a little bit different. Last year, there were six first round tackles. And there's a clear need there for the Bengals. They have a needed guard, starting guard, starting linebacker. They need an edge rusher of the future either way. They need this defensive tackle playmaker we've talked about. They want to challenge. Gino Stone at Free Safety.

You're at five already. Yep. So you're only getting maybe three guys that you could reasonably expect to step in and play meaningful snaps for you right away and other guys who might need some development on day three. That doesn't even mention potential to upgrade at corner, potential to upgrade at running back that we talked about yesterday. Yep.

And in a draft where there are some players that could help you a wide receiver in day three, you can't even really consider it where there is still a need for depth there or an opportunity to improve your depth of wide receiver, especially in a world where you don't have Eric Hall. And maybe you could get a guy in the Cooper Cup or Puka Nakua mold who can give you some of that big slot blocking that you need, but they play receiver instead of tightette. And so there are some things that you can hardly even consider because you know that there are certain things that it feels like the Bengals will either 100% need to force or feel

very likely inclined to force because of their goals for their roster. And so what they need to do, need, since we're talking about needs, they need and they better be open because regardless of what they do in the draft, they're going to be glaring. There's going to be a hole they need to fill. And maybe it's running back. Maybe it's linebacker. Maybe it's insert, whatever, you're thinking, be open. If the edge rusher doesn't fall to you, well, then on May 3rd, you should be calling

Zadaria Smith. If the running back doesn't work out, well, then J.K. Dobbins should be here. If the safety doesn't work out, well, Justin Simmons wants to be a Bengal, according to the K Adams show when he was talking about Cincinnati and all these other contenders that he would love to join to beat the chiefs. Like, okay. And it doesn't have to be Simmons. It could be someone else.

it doesn't have to be any of the guys I just named. Obviously, everyone's going to mention Brandon Shurf. But you better be aggressive in ad. And I would want them to do it now, of course. But you better do it after the draft. Because if we're going into camp and it's like, oh, well, there's two to three holes like there was last year where defensive tackle, it just had no nose tackle. What a joke to not do that.

The questions at guard last year, we knew there were going to be depth issues at guard. And guess what? It happened. that that cannot be where they're at. And they've put themselves in that position. And so as long as they add after the draft, they can make up for it. But they better do that. And we'll see if they do.

I have one more thought on that before we turn our attention to Omar Norman Lott. And the linebacker move the Bengals did make. It's a minor move. It's a depth move. We'll finish the show with those topics coming up next. James, my thought as I look at the remaining free agent South, there is that there are a lot of options that a lot of those positions we're talking about, but unless you feel really good about CJ Mosley at 33 years old, or Eric Kendricks at 33 years old,

or I don't know, Devondre Campbell at 33, David Long coming off a year where he couldn't stick to a team, there aren't great linebacker options out there. And if they do plan to move on from Jermaine Pratt, which perhaps is now more in the air, than we thought it was, maybe not. Maybe there's a firm plan in place there. Maybe they're just going to draft a linebacker and have a very clear plan to do so. That's one position where the veteran options are not as, let's say, promising. Like if they need a guard, there's still all the guards we've been talking about for a month.

If they need a corner, there's still some corners out there that can play. If they need a safety, there's a number of safety. Simmons, you mentioned, Julian Blackman. I mean, all these guys we've been talking about. talking about. Most of them are still out there outside of Callais Campbell, who signed with his former team in the southwest in Arizona to play in some warm weather, presumably. Linebacker feels like one where if they get out of the draft without one, I don't love their options. I mean, do you think that they would go for CJ Mosley for one year?

That breaks their MO in so many ways, 33-year-old, one-year deal kind of thing, like not Get over yourself. Get over yourselves. That's what I would say. You're trying to win now. Of course. You're trying to win now. Like I hate this.

I hate the, oh, well, they're old. And honestly, I wonder how much of it is that and how much of it is the money thing, where it's like, oh, well, no, we're putting on going with Young there to,

and it's just like, okay, but if Mosley can be good right now, then, you know, you feel all right about, yeah, so I, like, that that's where I land. And it is a good point on linebacker, because I don't think they'll sign an old linebacker.

I think that also kind of aligns with how they may view linebacker in this draft. Instead of a six, that might be an eight for them. In defensive tackle might be a six. It might flip. And they may be saying, hey,

we better leave this draft with the starting linebacker because we're cutting Jermaine Pratt. I'll keep mentioning it. Andy Dalton was on the roster until after they drafted Joe Burrow, when the whole world, including Joe Burrow, knew he was being drafted by the

angles and they kept him around just in case, I think, from a trade standpoint, knew he didn't have trade value and cut him. Might be the same thing with Pratt. I don't think Pratt has trade value. And so that might be, like they may say we're not leaving day two without a linebacker. If you need a starting linebacker, that's probably the way to go. Everyone's going to mention Jack Kaiser. Maybe they think that he can step in right away and just be a starter.

I think that that's there's a lot of hope there if that's your plan maybe that's not the plan maybe you're going to roll with Kaiser and then say hey you know what he's going to develop behind Logan Wilson and behind Orrin Berks

and that's kind of the route you go I don't know I think that that's that would still be kind of wishful thinking but then how do you use that Pratt money anyway and that's the other element of this not just cutting Jermaine Pratt to cut Jermaine Pratt I would cut your main Pratt

rat to use that $6 million to go get Brandon Shurf and insert whoever or a Shrf only if you're going one year, $6 million or whatever it is. You only have to go back to 2020. The Bengals signed Josh Binds, age 31 season, one year deal to play linebacker. So they have done it not too long ago. So maybe it's on the cards. Hey, if they could find the next Josh Binds, that'd be great. Looking at the linebackers they've had contact with as we transition to the Omar Norman Lott topic

because they're having him in for a 30 visit, you assume Jack Kaiser, that's a day three guy, Barrett Carter, probably an early day three guy, and Nick Martin, a day three guy. So they have had contact with a couple of linebackers, if you include Jack Kaiser especially. And of course, they had a presence at Ohio State's Pro Day where maybe they talked to Cody Simon as well. Those are all day three guys. And for day two guys, there's not a whole lot. Most of the linebackers in this class are going to be drafted on day three. Do you think that that's a strategy where Berks and Wilson would start and then they would draft one of those guys?

Like, I'd be okay with that. I'm not mad at it. I also want to use that Pratt money. I don't want it to sit there and it can pull over. And like you said, it could go to a different position. It could be as simple as that. I'm fine with that. They decide they need one of these other positions that they don't get in the draft.

Maybe they don't get the running back, right? And they want to go maybe side jk.a. I don't know. Maybe that's outlandish. Probably is a little bit for them. But it is. Yeah. That's the other thing.

I want to be cheap at running back anyways. But yeah, that's going back to yesterday. Let's not let that derail things. Omar Norman lot. Hold on. Running back. Let's talk about it for 10 more. No, Omar Norman lot.

Go ahead. Thank God. I was like, do we have to, like, that was really good. Check out the end of our show yesterday. by the way. It was a really good back and forth that we didn't plan. And sometimes those things are those are the best. So if you if you didn't last until like minute 27 of yesterday's show, go back and do that because it was like a 37 minute show. And it was all because of running back. That would have been a good lead to a show one day. And instead we buried it,

spur of the moment. Let's get Omar Norman lot. He's going to bring, you want some interior juice on day three or day two, excuse me, in the third round. You pick him at 81. I would be open to it. The Bengals certainly doing their due diligence at defensive tackle. Omar Norman Lott is a third to fourth round grade, according to The Beast. And it is beast miss as we're recording this episode. Love having that reference from Dame Brugler. And it is like 600 and, no, 523 pages this year, according to what I'm looking at right now.

But Norman Lott is a player who did not get on the field a ton in Tennessee. obviously a teammate to James Pierce so a couple of Tennessee defensive linemen coming in. Consensus 73 currently on the board's wear tracking will be 23 years old when the draft rolls around just 291 pounds at the combine

for Norman Lott which is obviously a little bit on the lighter side for defensive tackles where you're really looking for someone to be closer to that 300 pound number to be an every down player. Doesn't mean he can't add the weight, but at 23 he's closer to a finished product physically than a guy like Walter Nolan who's a little bit younger.

But what you get with Norman Lott, like you said, is a guy who had a lot of success rushing the past year in college. And the past rush win rate, the pressure rates, these numbers all very strong for Norman Lott. And that also applies to true past sets. Like he's, he would be your Larry Ogunjobie style of player, maybe not the same size, but that style of player. And if that's a guy that, according to Dane, is a third to fourth round bubble guy,

maybe that's still in the top 100 this year because there's only 13 first round players, pure first round players in this raft. Maybe that makes it hard to get him in day three, but a guy that they should be considering to fill that role. And Dane, interesting, has him listed at 303, a little bit bigger than we had him out at the combat. would be open to it, would certainly be open to it. And that's, that's the beauty I think of this, of this draft is like, they're going to be edges. If they don't get an edge in round one, let's say they go safety round one. Or Jahad Campbell, even though I think that there's some questions there. But you go non, non-edge, non-defensive tackle. There's guys on day two and maybe into day three.

And usually there is. Like, we talk about this and it's like, oh, well, that guy's going to be off the board. either take him in 81 or maybe he's there at 119. Maybe one of these guys is, odds are they will be. And someone is, if there's that many and there's that much depth there or guys that the Bengals like. And I think that's going to be what's interesting here. Like Omar Norman Mott, are they thinking of him as pick 81? Because they had James Pierce Jr. in. Are they thinking of him as pick 17?

Are they looking ahead of him as pick 49? Like I genuinely wonder where they have these guys slotted because that makes a big, big difference. And I think that there's going to be a defensive lineman, I would say, in round three that you don't expect to be there and probably in round four that you don't expect to be there. Have the Bengals already addressed it by then? Maybe. And that's great if they have. But Norman Lott's certainly a name to know. Real quick, would you be in on Isaiah Simmons as a free agent?

linebacker. Not to be a starter that you're relying on. Like as a guy to see if you can get anything out of him, all right. Like a captain like kind of thing. Yeah, I think you'd have Berks in as the starter. I think you would instantly say that as Burks would start with Logan. And then you bring in like Isaiah Simmons in a Jack Kaiser or something. You know, I don't know. At some point, they'll take a lineback, I would imagine. You're probably thinking about Shaka Hayward beating those guys out in my mind or John Meta being that third guy on base downs when you're going to have three linebackers on the field. Simmons, all right. I think Simmons has some work to do. I'm not. He's like best friends with T's. I was just kind of curious. I was like, ah. I mean, it would be great

to take that ball of athletic play and turn it into a great NFL player, but it hasn't happened so far for him. No doubt. And I think that's tough. The one other note here before we get to the quick, the player the Bengals signed in the linebacker room on Wednesday. Ty Hamilton, who we mentioned a couple days ago, Ohio State defensive tackle, who the Bengals had him for a pre-draft visit that we believe was a local visit, not counting against their 30 visits, is number 92 on Dame Bruegler's board,

which is fascinating to me. Well ahead of Omar Norman Lott, he has a solid third round grade on Ty Hamilton. And Ty Robinson, Nebraska defensive tackle, who you can get in like the sixth round of pretty much every simulator, right behind Ty Hamilton on the defensive tackle list. So some interesting challenging of some of those mock draft machine norms that you've seen is how I would say my preliminary skim of the beast looks.

But last thing here, James. Real quick. Ty Hamilton has a Levi-Onsariki comparison on NFL.com, according to Lancearraline. And we'll eventually be an average start. So certainly someone that you would say day two as well. So interesting. Two, early three, Dane isn't the authority on these things. You know, the NFL draft is an unpredictable place.

But it's always fun to see Dane's work because he's more plugged in than just about anybody out there and he's been doing it at a high level for a long time. Last note, the Bengals signed a free agent linebacker Joe Giles Harris. This is almost certainly a depth move, almost certainly a special team kind of move. He has not played a whole lot throughout his NFL career where he's bounced around teams. Go ahead. What are you got? Linebacker is solved now, Jake.

Oh, we did. What are you talking about? We buried it until the 33-minute mark. It is soft. They don't need a linebacker anymore. Jack Kaiser Schmeiser. You don't need him. Jahad Who?

Never heard of Mr. Campbell. You don't need him now. What's this guy? Kyle Harris. Was on the Bengals practice squad for one game last. season as well and returns to fill out that room and he'll compete in camp for a spot with Darren Simmons most likely. Warren Berks with the tackle and it's a fumble, Giles Harris picks it up and could go

all the way. All right, there's my Dan Horan impression. That's going to do it for this episode of the Locked-on Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Hootay and have a good one.