Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - BENGALS SQUAD SHOW: What EXACTLY is the BIGGEST NEED for the Bengals in the NFL Draft?

Episode Date: April 10, 2026

It's obvious that the Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of needs going into this year's NFL Draft, especially on defense. But what exactly is their biggest need? Are they in a can't-miss position with all of these needs?  FOX19 Sports Director Joe Danneman makes his Bengals Squad debut as he joins Alex Frank and Coach Art Valero to further break down how the Bengals may attack the NFL Draft in two weeks.  Could they trade back for picks or do something else they don't normally do to try and maximize their chances of acquiring talent? Even though most of the Bengals' major needs are on defense, there are some needs on offense. Which position on that side of the ball could be most in need of an upgrade during the NFL Draft?  Is the offensive line suddenly a need? Joe Burrow made it very clear how important this offseason is. With that, is this Draft one that could potentially cost people in the Bengals' organization their jobs if it doesn't go well?   Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengals Find 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/id1159723162 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajs Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengals   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!  TurboTax This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.  FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get two-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.  Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.  Betterhelp This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at http://BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON.  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.

I'm Alex Frank. It's obvious that the Bengals have a lot of needs in the NFL draft. But Joe D, when you have a lot of needs, that might mean you can't miss with whoever you take in number 10. Am I right? It has to hit. Number 10 has to be a playmaker for a team that is all in on getting back to the playoffs in 2006. All in, coach. You know what position they need to go all in on? Linebackers, that may be their biggest knee with the guys they have visiting. Oh, you know what? Not only the guys that are visiting. but the guys that are in the draft because it's a very heavy linebacker draft that are some pretty good players,

and Lord knows they need them. They do. This is Bengals Squad right here on Lockdown Bengals and the Lockdown Podcast Network. Today, it's the Bengals Squad. Everything Cincinnati Bengals every week. Breaking down all the big hits and game-changing plays from the Queen City, the way only the Lockdown Podcast Network can. From the jungle to the playoffs, the Bengals Squad.

show starts now. It is Friday, April 10th. Welcome to the Bengals Squad show right here on lockdown bangles and the lockdown podcast network, the number one sports podcast network in America and the world, your team. Every day we're presented today by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get $250 in bonus bets if your first bet wins at defanduil.com to get started. I'm Alex Frank, Coach Valero, Art Valero, joining me as always on Friday.

So we have a new guest, a new addition to our Bengals Squad show panel, Fox 19, Sports sports director and Ohio sportscaster of the year. That would be Joe Danneman. Joe, I'm going to ask you, as a Syracuse alum, how excited are you for Jerry McNamara to come home and be the head coach of your Vince basketball program? We haven't had a lot to cheer for since Beheim retired. So for Jerry McNamara to come back and reignite the fan base.

And when I say reignite, that means start digging into pockets because they need to spend more in animal. to get this thing back on track. Syracuse basketball is supposed to be in the top 20 every year. Jerry McNamara, I believe, is the right guy to get it done because I think the fan base will start to open up the checkbooks to get some talent back to Central New York. Listen, there are certain college basketball programs that make college basketball better, and Syracuse is one of them. I mean, when I was growing up, they were elite in the final four.

winning national championships that they did back in 03. So I'm happy for you, and I'm happy for Syracuse. Even if, if Dan Horde's listening to this, it brings back bad memories of the 06 Biggie's tournament, when Jerry McNamara hit a running buzzer beating three against the Cincinnati Bearcats. All right, enough Jerry McNamara and Syracuse basketball talk. NFL draft is less than two weeks away. Joe Danneman, the biggest need for the Bengals with all the needs that they have is what?

So you know the movie draft day with Kevin Costner when it says. Calil Mack or whatever Mac, Monta Mac, whatever his name is in his pocket, no matter what, I'm going to have a piece of paper in my pocket on draft day that says draft defense, no matter what. And I know that's not a hot take, right? Because look, there might be some players there at number 10 that people will get on a podcast or get on a radio show and say, hey, Jeremiah Love, wouldn't that be a lot of fun? Jeremiah Love's not going to be there.

He's the best player in the draft. someone's going to take him before he can get to the Bengals. The Bengals have to find somebody that can step in day one and be a difference maker for this team on defense. We all know the Bengals need a much better defense in 2026. And I said, guys, before the offseason even started, when talking free agency, when talking NFL draft, the Bengals had to have minimum four new starters on defense for this team to have a viable opportunity, not only to make the playoffs, but win in.

the postseason. And so that's why I'm saying right now, they've got to draft someone that's going to start for them. And as the podcast continues, you're going to find out where I'm leaning, what position that is. But for me, you have to find someone that's going to step in and make this team better on day one. They've got three new starters in free agency. They've got to add a fourth on defense with the number 10 overall pick. That's why, spoiler, I'm saying the Bengals will pick Corner at number 10 in the first round. Corner! Coach, how would you feel about that?

I would feel great because I think there is such a dire need of playmakers on defense. Although I would lean towards a, if they're not, if the linebacker of choice is not there, which he probably won't be. then they better fulfill their obligation up front defensively to at least protect those other two guys. And they've got to be able to go in. But I'm with Joe, hey, they better sell out and be an all in, which we've heard before. And whether it be just one guy being all in or the whole organization being in, they need to fix that defense and they need to fix it fast. Well, they signed three new starters in free agency.

At least we think with Brian Cook and Boy, Mafei and Jonathan Allen, and that's great. But there's still so many glaring needs on defense. Joe, if the Bengals were to draft, let's say Sunny Stiles is there a number 10. And I'm a big fan of him because he reminds me so much of Fred Warner, who I consider the best linebacker in the NFL. If Sunny Stiles is there a number 10 and the Bengals draft him, could that be their fourth new starter on defense, even though he's going to be a rookie? Yeah, you're drafting. him to start. And what the Bengals have to ask themselves, guys, the next two weeks leading up to the draft when they get together in their war room and start mapping out their big board ahead of the

NFL draft is considering what we invested in we being the Bengals, hypothetical conversation, what we invested last year in a second round pick and a fourth round pick at linebacker, and then also invested a full year of development with Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. Do we grade whatever linebacker is there on the board so much higher than those two that we are going to use a premium pick to come in and step over them immediately and be a starter. So that's what they have to ask themselves. And I would say, yes, Sunny Stiles does fit that mold. What he did at the NFL combine, the measurables he threw down in front of all the scouts makes me believe now he's probably going to jump somewhere into the top nine. I didn't think that before the combine.

I thought he would probably be somewhere 12 to 15, but I think he's probably priced himself out of that area and moved into the top nine, maybe even if one team falls in love with them, maybe even top five or top seven. So the Bengals have to ask themselves, the investment we made last year in linebacker of drafting both guys in a second round and a fourth round and then investing again the time they did last year. Look, they torpedoed part of the season, right, to go ahead and put these guys out there and let them learn on the job. A lot of people thought it was a mistake. The Bengals thought it was a calculated risk to take to help these guys develop. So the question they have to ask themselves is whoever's there at number 10, if it's linebacker, or even if it's

the second round in their thinking linebacker, do we grade this guy that much higher than Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter from last year that we would draft them and then try to slot that player ahead of those two guys starting this year. I still believe the Bengals are going to sign a veteran linebacker before the start of training camp to come in here, give them depth, give them leadership, give them someone that Carter and Knight can lean on and continue to grow. But it's going to be fascinating here the next two weeks for the Bengals. I would love to be a part of those conversations to hear them talk about the idea of what they invested at that position. And then could they pivot here and add to that room with another premium pick,

knowing they still have needs all over the defense? Yeah. And I mean, first off, you're a part of the flagship. So they should let you in on these conversations just on that alone. But when I think about the Bengals defense, and obviously people have been clamoring. You go on social media. You were on social media during Free Agency week. You would thought the Bengals were failing.

And I'm like, guys, I didn't say this. But in my head, I'm like, wait a second. They signed three new starters. They signed a safety. They signed an edge rush. They signed a defensive tackle. Duke Tobin literally said, we need pass rush and we need safety help. Well, they did that.

So Joe, I ask you, how much better is the Bengals defense now than it was. when the season ended back in January? It's better. I don't know if it's significantly better because they have to be significantly better to do everything that Cincinnati's fan base wants them to do. That's not get back to the playoffs. I think this is going to be good enough to get them back to the playoffs. But you don't have Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, and T. Higgins just to get to the playoffs and then go home and watch the Super Bowl. This is supposed to be a Super Bowl window. Joe Burrow, talks about that. Zach Taylor talks about that. Duke Tobin talks about that. And if you go back and look at

recent years and the past Super Bowl winners, we're talking to Seahawks, Eagles, Chiefs, all of those teams had top five to top 10 defenses. Right now, just adding three players doesn't take the Bengals from one of the worst defenses in the NFL to a top 10 defense. They still have more work to do. And the shame of it is, is they've had now a two-year window to do this because looking back to last year, if you have this conversation last year, you would say, okay, the rebuild is so massive. You're not going to accomplish this in one off-season, but maybe it takes two off-season. And the Bengals did invest heavily in their draft last year in defense, all but one pick were defensive players, but what do they have to show for it right now? Still so many questions, right? We don't know what

Shemar Stewart is. We have questions on Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. and what they're going to bring to this team. Is Josh Newton a guy they can rely on in the slot or do they have to address that in this year's draft, knowing what they have with DJ Turner and Dax Hill coming to the end of their contract? So there are still so many questions to answer your question. Yes, the Bengals are better defensively.

There is no doubt about that. I think Boye-Mafé is going to be a great fit in Cincinnati. I think Jonathan Allen still has a lot to give to a football team, especially a team that really needs someone like him up front. And I think Brian Cook will stabilize what the bangles are defensively into back third, especially with his tackling ability. But I still want to see this team have more playmaking. I don't see enough playmaking from this defense, guys who take the ball away,

guys who make big plays. Maybe Boy A Mafe is that guy. Maybe Bois Maffe is what they got in Trey Hendrickson, right? a guy that was kind of covered up by other star players on his team and was an ascending player. And then when he had his shot, he was the guy that comes in and gets double digit sacks. He gets strip sacks. And the Bengals then have a playmaker on the edge. To me, that's the biggest thing.

Find playmakers. I'm not sure if they found a lot of playmakers, but certainly the floor on defense is much higher this year. Significantly, I don't know if it's going to be enough for this team to win on the level. level that they think they should be winning on, and that is competing for Super Bowls, but they are better. There's no doubt the defense will be better this year. Coach, I feel like that's what we've been hitting on a lot on these shows, that the Bengals defense is better, but it's still, there's so much uncertainty going into the season. And as Joe, you're saying, this is a Super Bowl window when you have Burrow,

Chase, and Higgins, and that makes it all the more important, coach, that they get it right in the draft because they maybe have not done enough in free agency as we hope they would. Well, I look at it this way, that they didn't take, they didn't really, no, I don't know, I'm not in the building, but it appears that they weren't as aggressive and free agency. Now they're relying on the draft. When was the last time that the Bengals, and I'm not talking the first pick, you know, with Burrow and Chase and when was the last time they nailed the draft? you're counting on your second round pick and your fourth round pick to be the second level of that defense. And they've proven it. I mean, they're only as good as their last game. And they have shown that they're a step slow on some things.

So they need, they are better, but not to be confused with ultra competitive like the top 16. defensive teams. And they have a top defense, 16 defense in the league. That gives Joe Burrow, T. Higgins, and Jamar Chase a chance to go to work. If they don't, they're going to end up the same. They'll be in the top 20. That might be good enough, but I doubt it. Let me ask you both this. If Caleb Downs and Rubman Bain Jr. are both sitting in number 10, I don't think both of them will be. But if they're both sitting at number 10, who are you taking between the two? I would take Rubin Bain. Here's why, because I believe in the NFL, you have to have someone who either is a great quarterback, someone receiving from the quarterback, or someone who is

affecting the quarterback. Everything in the NFL is about the quarterback, right? The Bengals have their quarterback. They have the guys who help make the quarterback better when it comes to wide receivers. Now they have to find someone who affects the quarterback on defense. And you look back to last year, it was not good enough in Cincinnati, especially given the amount of draft capital they put into trying to fix that. Miles Murphy, first round pick. Shemar Stewart, first round pick. Now, I understand Miles Murphy is starting to ascend and Shemar Stewart one year in and considering he missed half of the year, it's still incomplete on what he can be. But to me, it's like the NFL teams out there drafting quarterbacks.

Like, let's take the Cleveland Browns. You keep taking swings until you get it right. And so if I'm the Bengals and the ultimate premium position on defense is finding someone who affects the quarterback, you have to keep taking swings until you get it right. Now, you could argue, okay, let's stop drafting guys in the first round playing edge. And let's start finding guys who have proven they can be difference makers on. Sunday. The Bengals did that with Boy A. Maffe. At least they believed they did that. So I would draft Ruben Bain, but I believe the Bengals won't. I believe the Bengals will draft defensive back

because of everything I just said, that they've invested already in defensive edge, that they've drafted Miles Murphy. They drafted Shemar Stewart. They brought in Boye-Mafay. So they believe they have their top three guys already at that spot. And then they can look to a spot right. now, guys, they don't have a starting slot corner. They don't have a nickel corner. You can say Jalen Davis, it kind of feels like to me right now he's a bit of a placeholder for them to find somebody else. So if they drafted corner, then you can either have that guy play slot or you can kick Dax Hill back in and play slot and play that guy outside. Now, I know you ask Caleb Dounds. And I think Caleb Downs is a lot like Sonny Stiles as a guy who's probably priced him.

out of the Bengals range at number 10. I think somebody in the top nine is going to fall in love with everything he brings and he's not going to be there at number 10. But if both Caleb Downs and Ruben Bain are there at number 10, I would take Bain because you got to keep swinging on edge until you get it right. But I believe the Bengals would go with Caleb Downs. And you can't go wrong with Caleb Downs. He is as surefire of a prospect, probably as anybody in this draft, not named Jeremiah Love. Jeremiah Love will be a star. Caleb Downs will be a star as well. If you're a GM, Caleb Downs will not get you fired because he will be at worst,

a excellent football player. He has shown it in every level he's played at in the SEC and the Big Ten. He's a stabilizer. He's a tackler. He's a chess piece. He's versatile. He's a football robot. I have friends who work in Columbus who say this guy doesn't care about anything but football.

So if you drag Caleb Downs, you're getting a guy that's going to be a pros pro from day one. That's why I would want Ruben Bain myself, but I think the Bengals would go with Caleb Downs if they have the choice. How about that? Coach, how about you? Because we talked about Ruben Bain being that tone setter last week. Where do you lean right now between the two? Well, I tell you what, Caleb Downs is a phenomenal, phenomenal, not athlete. I'm talking just football player.

You know what? He is that guy. You can go to the combine and have great measurables. But how do they play on film? Are they capable of using those skills to play the game? And Caleb Downs is that guy. Sonny Stiles is that guy. But Ruben Bain, I think he adds to the mess.

He is that guy. But I think the things that you can do with him in terms of every down, You know, first and second downs, he can play the edge and stop the run. I think you can move him around and now you got Maffei, you got him, you got Jonathan Allen, and Miles Murphy. You can play chess with who is the weak link up front. And I think that creates pass rush that the opponents are going to really have to deal with. I think when you have that kind of guy.

And if you've got pass rush, it's much. much easier for the back end to cover those guys. Let's mention that back end that now has Brian Cook and if the linebackers continue to develop this season. Now, personally, I'm taking Rubin Bain. I like my tone setters up front even though I love a game changing safety as much as anybody. Now, Joe, I know you mentioned Jeremiah Love is the best player in this draft and he probably won't be there number 10. But if he is, that is a serious temptation. I mean, I'm a big fan of his and not just because I, not just because I grew up a Notre Dame fan, but because he's really good. So the Bengals,

in 2021, trade it back in the second round of draft Jackson Carman. We know it didn't really work out that well. But could they trade back again in this draft? We'll get into that conversation next right here on the Bengals Squad show. Today's show, the Bengals Squad show is brought to you by into it turpil tax. It is tax time. But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is, well, a lot trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers,

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the hosts of the daily lockdown Bengals podcast and listeners of that show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to lockdown bangles. com. Bengals squad, the twice a week long-form conversational supplement to the daily lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm Alex Frank, joined today by Fox 19 sports director Joe Danaman and coach Art Valero, whose Orlando Storm have a big game tonight just down I-71 in Louisville against the Louisville Kings. That getting underway tonight at 8 o'clock. Going back to the NFL draft, though, I mean, look, it's been dominating our lives. I feel like ever since early January,

April 23rd is when it starts in Pittsburgh. Joe, do you see a situation where the Bengals trade back in the NFL draft this year? And I'm about talking in the first round. Now, if they do, we got something. But in the mid, the mid rounds, maybe the late rounds, could they trade back? Do you see a world where they maybe do that? Yes, please do not trade down in the first round. That number 10 overall pick is a gold nugget they've got to take advantage of and find someone who's a difference maker for a team that needs them desperately on defense. With everything with the Bengals, right, you have to look at all of these conversations with the breadcrumbs of what the Bengals have done in the past. And if you did this

podcast with other teams and other organizations, it might be different. But the Bengals simply do not trade down with premium picks. Now, they've done that in the past. When I say premium picks, I'm talking first round. But they've done that in the second round, right? I mean, you think about recent years, they've done that in the second round. And they've hit on some good players by trading down. Jesse Bates was a trade down and draft. Jordan Battle was a trade down and draft. Joe Mixin was a trade down and draft. And so for a team right now that needs bodies and needs more draft capital, perhaps,

I would like a scenario where I would see the Bengals trading down a few picks and trying to add another pick in the later rounds to take another swing, to find another player, to maybe hit on someone you didn't expect them to hit on, and bring in somebody that can help this team immediately. So, yeah, I wouldn't touch the number 10 overall pick. I would use that pick and draft someone that I think can help this team immediately and in the future. But if you're looking at possibly trading down in the second round, a few picks like they've done in recent history, I think recent history shows us it's been successful for the Bengals.

I mean, hey, look, to quote Duke Tobin, we've done it before. Coach, take me into the room where it happens. when the team is looking to trade down, why are they looking to do so and what ultimately causes them to do so or not do so? Well, I think the first thing they see is as the drafts are unfold, they see if that number two pick is somebody that they really have targeted, if they think that people are passing on them that for whatever reason, they think they can get him at, you know, the 15th pick and gained draft capital, or they got to stay put and think that they have to get him at that particular

spot, whether it be 42 or whatever. And so there's a lot of calculations between who is going to be available. And that's the great thing about the draft is you don't know other people's needs. A lot of people bring guys on campus to throw a smoke screen. Like, okay, hey, we're really interested to get somebody else to bite. Or they'll send guys to go, you know, the entire staff to go watch a guy work out. They have no intention of drafting that guy, A, because he's not going to be there. And B, there's no need.

Well, now you've got a organization that has a lot of need on defense. And so you can kind of manipulate and see how the, ebbs and flows of the draft go to whether you want to take and again that's a gamble but you it's got to be a calculated gamble and i think that that's what ends up with people that are going through the draft were you did you evaluate that player not necessarily the best player but fits you right now and for the next five years and after that that's a plus but if you you you're not you you you're you You've made bad choices in the beginning. Wow, you've really got to take a look at, hey, that's our guy and we got to go get him.

Now, you're hoping he pans out. Correct me if I'm wrong, Joe, but I feel like in 2018, the Bengals had originally the 11th pick in the NFL draft, but they traded down to 21 and drafted Billy Price. Is that accurate? Am I remembering that correctly? I would lean on you, man. I can't remember things 10 years ago. But it does sound correct.

not a great pick by the Bengals, as history would tell us. Yeah, but they did train him for BJ Hill, and the immediate dividends were fantastic for the Bengals in that yard. Yes, and if you're thinking about a team possibly moving up like the Bengals, and, you know, I don't always like to close the door on the idea, just because, oh, the Bengals have never done that before, they won't do it again. And if we're sitting here talking about Sonny Stiles or Caleb Downs or whatever pick, they like in the top nine and the bangle will say okay this is the year we want to try to do it i just don't

see who would be the trade partner with the bengals to move up in the first round because Cleveland picking at six a division rival is not going to trade with the bengals no the kansas city chiefs pick at nine now one of the bengal's biggest rivals is probably not going to do a deal with the bengals you got the commanders at seven and the saints at eight that could be a sweet spot. What do you have to give up to move up two spots to New Orleans at number eight where New Orleans also has needs as well. If you're New Orleans, right? In New Orleans, a lot of people are linking Cardnell Tate, the wide receiver from Ohio State to be a great pick. New Orleans, it'd be a great pick. But guess who's not going to pick him at nine? Probably not Kansas City.

Guess who's definitely not going to pick him at 10, Cincinnati. So that could be a spot, right? that if you were willing to give up, I don't know what it would take. Coach, you might know more than me. Maybe swapping second rounds or a second round pick in the future or a third round pick to move up those two spots and get your guy. Again, I think a lot of times, you know, people like myself and like us, we'll talk about the Bengals. And I think it's important to come through the lens of what we know about the organization. But it doesn't mean the organization can't do it or won't do it. The Bengals have stepped out of character a little bit here in recent years with some of the contracts they've done with Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, T. Higgins. Maybe they would step out a little bit

and try to move up two spots to New Orleans. It's a long shot, but it's certainly worth talking about the understanding of if the Bengals wanted to move up, who could possibly be the trade partners. It really feels like to me the only possible ones would be the commanders at seven or New Orleans at eight given the natural rivalry of who's at six and who's at number nine. That's what do you think? That's right on. He hit him right on the head. You know, the problem is Washington, they've got similar needs as the Bengals.

So are they willing to give up a playmaker? And I, you know, Dan's a good friend of mine. And I'm saying, you know, he got the job because of the defense. And they were old because he had a lot of veterans. and he shipped a lot of them out. So he's looking for some young talent at D-Line, at linebacker, and of course it's safety. You know, so he has the same needs.

Now, just like Joe was talking about, New Orleans, you thought maybe early, you know, they were going to be in the hunt for Jeremiah Love. They signed a guy, okay? They can look other places now. Kansas City signed a run-in-back. They can look other places now. So everybody in the top ten has got needs.

And I think Washington is a lot like Cincinnati. And so that's going to be, I think you can watch it all the way through the draft. And with Washington having it being three spots ahead, that could be a very difficult thing to try to negotiate, you know, and to navigate through to find out that if they have the same interests. We know the Bengals value draft capital, but that again makes me a question why wouldn't they dip their toes more into trading back? I'm not saying they have to do it in the first round. We know the number 10 pick is a coveted pick. It's a top 10 draft pick. I mean, that's where you can find gold jacket guys potentially.

John Harbaal said it if it all works out. That's what you're hoping for. But I just wonder why if you value draft capital, why wouldn't you trade back? as Joe, as you said, get more guys in the room, and then you have a better chance of someone panning out. Am I right on that? Well, they do have eight picks this year. So keep that in mind. They have two six rounders and two seventh rounders, no fifth rounder this year.

So they already have eight picks. Now, the question is, can you use some of those picks to help sweeten the pot to move around? And we've seen the Bengals move around a lot, right? In the middle rounds and the fourth round, maybe you use the six and seventh round to get a fifth round pick. they can do that. The question is, if they move back, you're obviously looking at taking on more picks. And for a team already with eight picks, now you can get creative. Now you have all these picks to move around and jump up. And if you like a guy in the fifth round or you like a guy in the fourth round, you can use some of those stockpiled picks as, you know, a carrot to move up a little

bit. So I'm with you always. I'm always looking in a case of, especially when you get to the middle rounds because typically teams have a guy that they're zeroed in on and they want that guy and they believe they can get that guy in five or six picks. Why not move back a little bit? Get another draft pick. Get another body. Bring them in. See what you got. Take another swing. Because I feel like the more swings you take, the better opportunity you have to find someone who can come in and surprise some people and be a difference maker. You look at championship teams all across the league. And you look at some of the great Bengals teams over the last 20 years, you're going to find those rosters dotted with fifth rounders and six rounders and seventh rounders that have helped

this team unexpectedly more than people thought they might. So to give yourself a shot here, and look, the Bengals have four picks in the sixth and seventh round this year. So they've already got that, but those can be used one of two ways. Either you can use those to help yourself move up, or you can trade back with a second round pick, a third round pick, stockpile more, and give yourself more chances to find those six and seventh round gems that can help fill out a roster. Coach, I feel like you speak in your language. You always talk about 11 through 53. That's where you're going to win championships. Absolutely. Hey, it's said it's not the top 10. It's the other 43 kids that make your team and they make them very, very sound, not only as special teams, but on offense

and defensive sides of the ball, as well as great role players. I think if everybody looked at the culmination of players that play in the NFL, you probably have more third and fourth and fifth round picks than you do ones and twos. Or, you know, then you've got that outlier that's, you know, six and the Tom Brady's of the world that end up going really late. Those guys are, they're outliers. But three, four, and five, they make your football team. And I think the more guys that you have in that area, you can really put together a very, very solid team.

My question was, during free agency, did they seek a trade partner for some of the people that they had to try to gain those extra picks? Yeah. Now, did they find a trade partner? Was he willing to give them that or did nobody come calling? And they couldn't find anybody because of what they valued that the Bengals had. So those are things, those chess pieces, you don't know. And because, you know, we're not in every room. We're not in 32 different rooms and how they evaluate and how they rank each of those positions

and where those players are. And I think that's what's going to come down in the next two weeks. It's going to really be crunch time for those guys. They're going to have to lock themselves in a room until they can come up and hope. They already know, they pretty much already know, who's going to go ahead of them. But there's going to be a curve in there. And so they've got to be prepared to sit on that and wait so they can take that swing that puts it out of the park.

many people can hit curse. Wow. What a baseball reference that is. Hey, I'm all about the doctor. Oh, great. Here we go. Now we're talking about the doctors. Look, you two hit on it. The rosters and how important it is to hit on rounds three, four, and five in this case. One guy and Joe, you talked about that you zero in on a guy. Jalen Rivers for me was that guy last year. And to his credit, when he played, he played well, I thought. Speaking of the offensive line. There was some news this week. That's so good news. So now the proverbial position that we always talk about around this time during the NFL draft is now potentially a need, but how much? And is there another position on offense that couldn't need a major upgrade?

We get into that conversation next right here on the Bengals Squad Show. This episode of the Bengals Squad show is brought to you by Indeed. Workplace chaos, deadline, stacking up, inbox overflowing in the one position you have to fill. Still sitting open. Spoiler, and learn one of the best feelings in the world is when you delete your entire inbox. Try it some time. It works. When the pressure's on, you need the right hire. This is a job for sponsored jobs.

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Indeed.com slash podcast terms and conditions apply. Joe, I'm not sure if I mentioned this to you, but Coach Valero here was the offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks in the Beast Quake game. No kidding. One of the all-time greatest plays I have ever seen live. I wasn't at the game. I was watching on TV. Tom Hammond and Mike May. were on the call on NBC.

But Coach Valera was the offensive line coach for that Seattle Seahawks team, one of the wackiest teams to ever make the playoffs, but they won a playoff game. Hey, I'm telling you, 27 power, we blocked nobody. That was all more shot. I kept thinking, oh, oh, wow. And all of the offensive linemen were celebrating with him in the end zone and instead of being locked on their blocks.

I'm going, how do they all get down there? Well, they whiffed at the line of scrimmage. So I got that going for me, which is nice. And that's why you became a running backs coach. Absolutely. I said less stress. But I do wish the Bengals during free agency would have got that $75 off and got some more guys than free agency.

All they had to do is pick up the phone, right? I brought up offensive line there. I mean, look, the B-squakes, one of the most memorable moments, unless you're Tracy Porter and the entire Saints defense. But I brought it up because coach, you coach offensive line. There's been some news about the Bengals offensive line this week. Excuse me. Joe, Matt Lee waved. Lucas Patrick signs with the New York Giants.

How confident are you, knowing that all five starters are back from last year, but with the news that happened this week, how confident are you in the offensive line right now going into next season? season. Well, I'm confident in their top five. I believe Zach Taylor and Joe Burrow have talked about it extensively that this was the best. The offensive line has played in the Joe Burrow era. So that's exciting for this team. I understand there's some questions about Orlando Brown as he continues to get older in his career. But the Bengals have reinvested in him. And look, when you're talking about that position, when you have a guy like Orlando Brown, you can't let him get out of the building. and goes somewhere else. You got to squeeze everything you can out of the guy. So I like their starting five. I don't think anybody would argue that. Now, it's fairly obvious the bankers are going to have to address offensive line in the draft. Now, I wouldn't use a premium pick, as we discussed about on the first 40 minutes of this podcast. But in day three, certainly the Bengals have to address the depth of offensive line and have to address the depth of the center position because Ted Karras doesn't have many years left in the NFL. And I'm not sure you find a starter, right, on day three at

center. Maybe that's someone you go out next offseason addressing free agency. But the Bengals definitely have to address their depth at offensive line in the draft. And I fully expect they will do so in day three when they have several picks. I believe what? Five picks on day of the NFL draft, I would expect at least one, if not two, to address the offensive line depth, considering the Matt Lee news. Coach, how important is it? Because you coached in a division. We talked about it on Tuesday with Chris Jenkins from Carolina. This is the 2000s. Atlanta had some behemots up front on their defense, New Orleans head guys. How important was it to ensure your offensive line had adequate depth? Oh, you can't put that into any box because you got to remember, this is a 17 regular season game plus playoff game. You're talking those guys may play 20 games a year.

That takes its toll at some point in time, whether it be their shoulders or hands they could get rolled up on. if you don't have adequate depth, that next man up mentality really kind of goes out the window. And, you know, fortunate enough, this year, when Reisner went down, they had a plug-in. Was he the same type of player? No. When Reisner came back, they started clicking a little bit better. The third child pick? Oh, I'm all over that.

That's a great, great choice. The problem in the NFL right now is those six and seventh round draft choice or free agent offensive linemen, they come in and they've got great skills. The problem is the developmental process. They don't have anybody on staff that can teach those guys with the same language and the same techniques that the old line coach is teaching. to develop those guys so those not ready for prime time players can be that next guy up. And they really need to, after losing two, you need to fill some gaps because you only get to dress seven on game day. So you need a backup tackled who can play both ways. And you need an interior three that one guy's got to be able to play them all.

And then you can play, you know, what's in my hand with. mixing and matching and shuffling those guys around until you get that formula down. So they need some quality. Two guys tackle and an inside guy. I like the point, Joe, that you made earlier about how they're getting as much out of Orlando Brown Jr. as they can. I feel the same way about Ted Karras. You know, as we mentioned, those two guys are getting older, but yet you still feel like

they can be adequate up front. And not only that, their presence as leaders. can't be overstated. Yeah, their intangibles are very important to this football team. You ask anybody inside that locker room how important Ted Karras and Orlando Brown are as men to this football team. And I know sometimes fans roll their eyes a little bit at that kind of stuff. That stuff matters. And coach would talk to you about how much that stuff matters. I think back to what Dalton Reisner said at the end of the season when he was pitching himself to come back to be a Cincinnati Bengal in 2006. And he talked.

about Ted Karras and he talked about Amarius Mims and he talked about Orlando Brown. When you're trying to keep good, important players and coach, you nailed it. The offensive line took off once Dalton Reisner became an every week starter. You know, Dalton Risner might not want to come back to Cincinnati unless that kind of culture in that room was laid by the Ted Karras's and Orlando Browns. And he talked openly about how much he liked playing next to Amarius Mims. That stuff matters. That stuff matters to recruiting guys, to keeping guys.

And good on the Bengals, right? Because we all thought that the Dalton-Risner move was a layup. You still got to make the layup. The Bengals made the layup. They brought him back. That was important to stabilize this offensive line. Now, they do have other needs on the offensive side to address in the draft. And people say, now, wait a minute.

What needs could they possibly have on offense? Quarterback is set. Running back looks good. they've invested in tight end the offensive line. Now there is one position I haven't mentioned that when you look on the surface, you say, now wait a minute, Jamar Chase and T. Higgins, they don't need a wide receiver. I would argue that Bengals have to look to that position in this draft. Thank you.

I love that you bring that up. Go ahead, coach. Yeah, I agree 100%. They need a slot. They need a guy that can be in the slot and he doesn't have to be a big guy. If he's a nifty short area quickness guy who can catch the ball intermediately and make something happen, wow, that would make that group dominant,

especially with a guy slinging it like they have. Wow, it could be special. I mean, because you look at the roster too, coach and Alex, and Andre Yoshivas is entering the final year of his contract. So what's his future in Cincinnati? I know he wants to get a big second contract. I'm not sure that's going to come in Cincinnati. He believes he can earn that.

So while you're going to get probably a very motivated Andre Yoshibati this year, what's the plan after he leaves Cincinnati? And can you find someone who could be a better compliment to Jamar and T at that spot than Andre Yoshibati? Charlie Jones, they took a swing on him. He's not a viable option. We've seen now for his time in Cincinnati. It's a good special teams player, but not necessarily a great option as a third.

wide receiver. They took a big swing with Jermaine Burton. We all remember Zach Taylor pounding on his chair to get him complete disaster. So the Bengals have tried, right, to find someone to go into that space, space being the right word, right, of playing a spot, a slot wide receiver and be a difference maker there. Now, look, you're not going to get the kind of balls that you'd want there from playing the slot if you're that guy because you're playing with T. Higgins and Jemar Chase. those guys are going to get 150 and 125 targets respectively. So you're not going to get a ton of targets. But can you be a difference maker when called upon?

Andre Yosevas has had some moments, but Andre Yoshivas's time in Cincinnati might be coming up. So the question is how high of a draft pick would you use on wide receiver? Because it kind of got burned by what happened with Jermaine Burton and using a premium pick on him in that. spot and it didn't work out. So while it can feel like a luxury because you already have Jason Higgins, the future of who plays alongside of them is unsettled right now in Cincinnati. And to me, it has to be addressed in this draft. The question is how high of a draft pick

are the what the Bengals willing to use to try to address what kind of feels like to the fan base, a bit of a luxury. I think that's one of the most underrated questions, Joe. And I'm glad you touched on that in this in this draft for the Bengals and coach and I talked about this on a show back in January Andre Yosevash the last two times the last two seasons going into them and they were very valid from what I heard and what I saw in training camp I liked what I saw in what I heard it just has not panned out as you said he's had his moments the touchdown on Thanksgiving was incredible he had two touchdowns against Kansas City in week two at 24 by the way Jermaine Byrne Byrne had a big catch in that game.

So I look, if Yose Vosch breaks out this season, great. But you can't bank on that. And that's where you have to decide, okay, do we spend a mid-round pick on a receiver? I mean, I pounded my fist a while back to sign D'Andre Hopkins. I think he'd be a good veteran presence for the Bengals. Joe, let me ask you this, because I haven't gotten your opinion on this. Would you give Chase Brown a contract extension? That's a tough one.

Because when they signed Joe Mixen to a second contract and it didn't work out as they hoped, I said, well, that'll be the last time the Bengals ever use a second contract on a running back. But I think Chase Brown is an exception here. The way he fits with this offense, I would extend Chase Brown. I know that's going against what everybody in the NFL does right now. I mean, look what Seattle did. They had the Super Bowl MVP and such a difference maker at that position. And they let them walk to Kansas City.

And so you're going to sit here and say, okay, Bengals, let's stick to the plan, right? Draft a guy, use him for four years, let him walk, draft a guy, use him for four years, and keep going on with that path and not giving running backs a second contract. I believe Chase Brown is an ascending player. And by that word, I believe he's still going to get better. I think his best football is still ahead of him. I think his fit in Cincinnati is excellent. I would extend Chase Brown and go against what is considered common practice now in the NFL.

I would consider him an exception and bring him back on a second contract in Cincinnati. I understand if they don't. I understand if they stick to the plan of what every NFL team seems to be doing these days, unless you get a super special guy. But I think what Chase Brown is to the Bengals and what his career continues to do and that's ascend upward, I would bring Chase Brown back on the second contract. Interesting. I like that explanation.

I feel like we haven't really heard it in the sense of we're comparing it to Joe Mixon. But here's the other thing, too, two things. One, Joe, you probably know this. I'm not sure how much you think about it. But Chase Brown was second on the team in receptions last year. Second at 69 with three different starting quarterbacks. And it wasn't until Joe Flacco got here where he really started to take off. It was the Pittsburgh game where he had over 100 yards rushing.

And I also think about this. Bejohn Robinson and Jemir Gibbs are getting their contract extensions. First round picks from that 2023 class. Fine. They're going to reset the market, but you don't have to worry about what their contracts are to extend him. And coach, that right there. And you always say this. You have a guy in the building.

Don't let him walk. Absolutely. I'm telling you what. And Joe, he hit it. with what what he brings to the offense he fits yeah he fits perfectly from a protection standpoint from a route running standpoint from a rushing standpoint he fits what their what their offense is all built around now he was still playing on his rookie contract which probably wasn't that

elaborate? Wasn't that crazy? Where the other two that you had mentioned, Bejohn Robinson's, I mean, they came in as ones. So their contract is huge, right? So he's coming in. You can give him or at least offer him more than what he was making on his rookie contract and be able to extend him

might not have to be for four. It could be for three. and put a lot of incentives in there and extend him. So now everybody feels warm and fuzzy, especially on the offensive side of the ball. But the domino effect is, right, if you invest in a running back when you already have the contracts from Joe, Jamar, and T.

And then you have DJ Turner and Dax Hill to premium defensive guys who need contract extensions. Does Chase Brown giving him a contract extension and nicks one of those guys in their future in Cincinnati. Now, gut feeling to me is I believe the Bengals will extend DJ Turner. I think the Bengals will likely let Dax Hill walk. I don't know if I agree with that, but I think that's likely how it will play out. And if that's the case, then I think you can bring Chase Brown back.

But you got these three ascending players, right? DJ Turner is only getting better. Jack Hill finally feels like he's coming into his own with the position. now he feels comfortable playing and Chase Brown, and we've talked the last five minutes about, three ascending players who all have earned contract extensions all need contract extensions around the same time. So it's tough, right? Everybody can't get paid. You have to make the right decisions for your teams. Very difficult part here for the Bengals to decide who they keep, who they extend, because if you keep one, it's a domino effect to the other. And to me, that's all

of the Chase Brown conversation when you have to decide if you want to give a second contract to a running back. And I think along with that, if they don't extend Dax Hill, and I actually would kind of be okay if they didn't. I think it'd be great if they did. That's kind of like a ticket to leave it for me personally. But if you don't extend Dax Hill, then you're probably thinking, all right, they're going to look to target that maybe in the draft this year, as you said, Joe, maybe they look to sign another guy in free agency. If that's an option, they have options here. And I go back to the point we talked about in the open. They have options, even with all the needs. that they have. Coming up next, some hard-hitting questions.

Because if you know Joe Daneman, you know he asks the best questions of any Cincinnati sports media personality. Him and Mike Petralia are the two best. We'll get into that conversation and those hard-hitting questions next right here on the Bengals squad show. Yeah, you bring up the point show about you got to make your layups. You're talking to a Knicks fan here who still remembers and I wasn't alive in 1995 when Patrick UA missed that layup in game seven against the Indiana Pacers. that kind of pulled on the heartstrings a little bit there. How do you think the Knicks are going to do this year?

They can beat the Celtics? They will, I think they absolutely can beat. I mean, they did last night. They did. And a regular season game. Look, I think they will go as far as Jalen Brunson, Carl Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart can take them. That's how I think they'll do.

I think they can go to the conference finals, but Detroit is the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference. And the last two times the Knicks have played him, they've gotten boat raced. by Detroit. So it's going to be interesting. I'm excited. I know you're a big NBA guy. Coach, we'll get you in on the NBA. Don't worry. But, um, no. No. Okay. Listen. Hey, all right. My basketball just ended last week. So I got to wait another year. Coach, is Braylon Mullins is shot one of the greatest shot you've ever seen in the NCAA

tournament. Oh, yeah. And they're, you know what, as old as I am, I've seen a lot of great ones. you know, the whole everything they put music to are phenomenal, regardless of whether you're from Valparaiso or, you know, Florida Southern or wherever that was that one year. Florida Gold Coast. Yeah. Dunk City. Joe, how about you?

Christian Leitner is my all-time number one shot. There's no doubt about it. But what Brayland Mullins did and the feel of that game. And you know what's funny? People inside of college basketball will always tell you the hardest game. to win is the elite eight game because everybody starts the year and talks about final four get to the final four go to the final four and it's that moment right that if you get there you hang a banner it's a season kids remember uh donors remember the fan base remembers if you get to the final four so

for him to hit that shot against that team right you're taking down duke with that shot yeah it's definitely immediately and this is not prisoner of the moment definitely one of the moment definitely one the five best shots in NCAA tournament history. The big bad villains going down on that shot. I mean, I was running around my apartment like a lunatic. We all were. Oh, it was incredible. And I think that's a great point about the lead aid you made.

This is basketball talk. I don't mean to get too much into that. But you tweeted something earlier during the tournament that Purdue, Virginia is the best NCAA tournament game you've seen the last 20 years. I will concur because that was one of the best well-played games I have ever seen. Carson Edwards made 10 threes in that game, and they did not win. The best NCAA tournament game I've ever seen. Now, on to some hard-hitting questions, because when Joe Danneman asks the question, people listen, including me.

Is Duke Tobin, Joe D, is Duke Tobin in danger of losing his job if this draft class ends up not panting out? I don't think we know that answer. I know that's a cop out. I don't think we know that answer. Look, again, as we've said throughout this hour, that we have to look at everything we discuss on this podcast through a Bengals lens. And the Bengals lens comes with bread crumbs of past decisions and personnel decisions they've made that we've seen over however many years we've followed this football team.

Duke Tobin is family, right? It's not easy to move on from family. And we don't know how much the ownership, the Brown family, puts the Bengals roster shortcomings in recent years on just Duke Tobin. We don't know. I do think him doing the press conference right after the season certainly was a signal that it wasn't good enough and he needed to face the music somewhat. To use the word, that was his punishment. I don't know if that's the right word, but I thought it was true. trying to show that, okay, the pressure's on Duke Tobin a little bit.

There's no doubt the pressure was on this coaching staff. It's like we said with Wes Miller for any UC basketball. Oh, gosh. It was tournament or bust this year. And we were right. It was tournament or bust. They did not make the NCAA tournament and West Miller lost his job in Cincinnati. I can't say with 100% certainty, but it certainly feels like, look,

coach's seats are warm. The quarterback's patience is thin, right? They've got to get it right this year. Or it starts to turn a little bit, I think, with Joe Burrow and the way he talks about this team and the vibe he has when he gets in front of a microphone. We started to see that start to leak a little bit at the end of last year with Joe's frustration and his anger. Pressure's on this team.

Pressure is certainly zeroed in right now on Zach Day. Taylor. It feels like playoffs or bust for this coaching staff. Now, does that trickle up to Duke Tobin? I don't know because it's a very unique situation with the family and the way he's looked at within the organization. But certainly, it feels like this is an all year, all in year for this coaching staff and very hot seats for Zach Taylor and his entire coaching staff. Coach, how do you view it? Well, you know what Joe's right. I mean, it is very hot for the coaching staff. But that leads me to believe, because I've got a good coaching staff, it's been together,

and they're starting to figure things out. But when you suggest as a coaching staff who fits what you're trying to do and how you can better yourself, and the other side does not listen, and they decide who they're going to pick, well, we just talked about it. The last few drafts, we've missed. And so they can say, well, that wasn't the guy I wanted. That wasn't a guy I wanted. Well, who knows?

You never know. But when you allow management to make all the decisions in terms of who you have to play and who you have to coach, you do feel left out. And now you're fighting with everything you have to maintain your not a job. family's well-being in the city that they have now grown up in, you're going to have to move on. So, you know what, I look at it and again, I don't know what management thinks, what ownership thinks, excuse me, towards it. But when you come out and you say something, whether you're all in or whether the whole group

is all in and they haven't seen it yet and you're relying on the draft only that you have missed before. That's tough. That is really a take this year away. Up until this past Pro Bowl, they only had four, and the only fourth rounder that ever made it was the Pico.

Other than that, it were all ones and twos. So, you know, that tells you how good a team this management has put together for the coaching style. And I think Zach Taylor's biggest attribute is he is sold to Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow does not want to change offenses in the premium of his tenure and in order to win. And I think that's what he's got going for him or I think they would have said,

see you later a long time ago. That's a terrific point. And Joe, you bring up that it's zeroed in on Zach Taylor, especially when he's the only returning head coach in the AFC North, All three other teams, they changed their coaches. The Bengals are betting on continuity. And I think that's fine. But if it doesn't work out, you better believe that microscope is going to be zeroed in even more.

This question for both of you, grade the Bengals offseason so far. B minus, C plus, depending on what they do in the draft. Fair. If I go back to my original point that the Bengals had to find four new starters on defense. And I never really thought guys that they were going to make the big splash that a lot of people thought they might make with whatever position it was. Just the way they do contracts, the way this team roster is set up with contracts, it felt like they were going to get the kind of guys they've got. And good on them, they've got them. Now, if they hit on a nice draft, this could be a B off season.

I don't think it can get to an A or even higher to an A plus where you go from one of the worst defenses in the NFL to all of a sudden a Super Bowl contending defense. Right now you're still going to rely on your offense to drag this team to wherever they want to go. But if you are going to go back to the playoffs and win playoff games, you had to have a successful offseason. I think it's been close to a successful, still come somewhat incomplete. It can be successful if they do well in the draft. So I'll lend somewhere right around a B minus C plus, still incomplete, wondering what they'll do in the draft. I'll concur.

Coach, how about you? I'd say a C at this point. All right. Waiting on what the outcome of the draft is. because I think they did add some pieces. They kept some pieces that makes them, but you revert back to last year. That wasn't nearly good enough, you know,

with injuries and everything else, to put them in that B category. They made great ads, you know, that are really going to help them. Is it enough to put them over the top? You know, I think about it also, and the reason why I go B minus, there's not a lot of distractions this offseason, at least right now to me.

Last year you had the whole Trey Hendrickson saga, which was ridiculous. And then you had Shamar Stewart and that whole saga was on the sixth hole at Paw Paw Lake Golf Club in Lake Michigan when he signed, just a little anecdote there. So you had all those distractions. Trays lingered into training camp, so did Shamar Stewart. And by the time those were resolved, it was too late for the young guys to have true leadership to learn from on defense. So in that regard, that's a good thing.

You've gotten rid of distractions. I kind of lean B minus right now, but again, that draft is so contingent. Define success for the Bengals in the NFL draft. Finding a difference maker who can start at number 10. There you go. Drafting defense again in round two. Adding offensive line depth in the middle rounds. and finding someone who can excite the fan base at slot wide receiver.

And I think that's going to be the underrated one to watch on day three is how high will the bangles go if they go with wide receiver at that spot. But this draft like most draft will be defined by who they pick in the first round. The Bengals don't pick in this iteration of the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow. They don't pick number 10 overall very often, if ever. What, they had Jamar Chase, who was the top five pick. Yeah. And now they have the number 10 pick.

And the hope is that the Bengals won't draft any better than the 20s during the Joe Borough era going forward. So you've got a hit, right? This will be defined by who they get at number 10. It's got to be somebody who comes immediately, makes this team better, helps them win and has to be on defense. I know that's the two foot putt, right? Everybody says draft defense,

you know, maybe an offensive line, no. It's got to be a difference maker on defense immediately for this team at number 10 overall. Look, when they drafted Javar Chais, people were screaming to draft offensive line. And how that picked turned out with Jarm Chis. No. Pretty good. Pretty darn good if you ask me. Coach, what does success look like for you?

again, just like Joe talked about, number 10, they got to hit it. They must hit that player, and he's got to be a person that can come in, fit in, and make plays right from the get-go. I think two through eight and their choices, all the choices that they have in there, I think they have to gain more picks in the first. the draft in order to be able to fill all the needs that they have unless at number two, that person that they really think can come in and play, and all of it's up in the air at this point, can come in and make a difference as well. The other ones, you can train them.

You can make them better because they're all going to be good. And through outside non-drafted free agency, you can pick a player to where you can plug him in. And there's a diamond out there and there will be a diamond out there. You just have to be able to identify him and bring them into your building. Here's what also you could do a wide receiver. You could not, you maybe don't have to draft one this year, although I think the Bengals should. You just wait until next year and then you make a big trade up and you draft Jeremiah Smith. I mean, that's exactly what they should do. I'm joking. I'm just throwing that out there. James Rapine may not be joking. I am. Don't worry. Coach, you guys got a big game tonight.

The Orlando Storm at the Louisville Kings 8 Eastern on Fox. What does success look like for you guys tonight in your second straight game against them? We have to execute like every coach you'll tell you. We left a lot out there last week. I think we have to continue to ascend. And players got to make place. And I think on defense, they played well enough, but can you follow it up? can you follow that thing up?

They didn't play so well in the first half, played great in the second half. Special teams was out of their minds, played well offensively. We have to execute the offense as it's designed and be physical up front and we'll be okay. Jody, remember the name Anthony Beckt? Of course.

That is the head coach of the Orlando Storm. Anthony's son Rocco, it was a very, very good quarterback at Iowa State. The Bearcats did beat this past October. was at that game. Joe D, I cannot thank you enough. We are very happy to have you on the Bengals Squad Show panel. We look forward to your next appearance. What do you guys in the flagship at Fox 19 have coming up, Bengals, Reds, I mean, maybe even a little Kentucky wildcats, bear cats, you name it. What you guys got cooking over at the flagship? Well, like coach said, we have to

execute, right? We have two weeks until draft day and draft night will be a big night on the Bengals flagship station. Jeremy Rowland and myself will be hosting the Bengals draft party at the and Gabby Sorentino will be in Pittsburgh, where the Bengals will draft number 10 overall. So draft night is a big night. And then starting April 20th, we have our first Reds hot Monday of the season. We'll be broadcasting several Reds games on Fox 19 now on Mondays throughout the season. And the first one is coming up a week from Monday night. So that's going to be a big week for us, right?

The Reds are on our air on Monday, draft Thursday, Friday, Saturday. plus the Reds Hall of Fame night on that Saturday is also on Fox. So big weeks coming up for the flagship station. April 20th, my mother's birthday. She will be watching. I am sure what you guys got on the Cincinnati Sports Show this week, Sunday night, 1130 Eastern on Fox 19. Guess who's going to be our guest this week?

It is James Rapine. Yes. Mr. Jeremiah Love himself. Oh, Lord. We'll be on the show. We're going to ask him. all about the Bengals in the draft. How about that?

And if there's any guy that you want on the show to talk about the NFL draft, James Rapine lives for the NFL draft. And I tip my cap every single year for the work he does, not only on lockdown Bengals and everything else he does, but when it comes to the NFL draft, there is nobody better at it than him. Jody, thank you as always. Coach Valero, good luck tonight to the Orlando Storm.

You and I are back on Tuesday with Jake. Let's go looking at players to avoid and what else to avoid in the NFL draft. We've got three shows before coach you and I are live on draft night, April 23rd with the Bengals squad show. It's a show for the fans. We're having Bengals fans as guests on our show. If you want to be on it, DM me at Frankie underscore Natty. And we will get that ball rolling. This has been the Bengals squad show.

It's the twice a week long form conversational supplement to locked on Bengals. For Joe Daniman sports director of Fox 19, coach Ruffalo, running backs coach of the UFL's Orlando Storm and Super Bowl 37 champion with the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm Alex Franklin and Frankie underscore Natty. Thank you for listening. Have a great weekend. Enjoy the masters and we'll talk to you all next week right here on the Bengals Squad show. Coach.