Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Bengals lottery tickets | Surprises who could elevate the Bengals in 2025

Episode Date: July 6, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals may need some lottery tickets to hit to compete for a #1 seed in 2025. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break it down from scratch-offs to the biggest longshots who could help the Bengals take a leap despite risky profiles as they look for potential unexpected breakouts for this season.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!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get $150 in BONUS BETS when your first $5 BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year.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.

Do the Cincinnati Bengals need a lottery ticket to be a real contender in 2025? Let's break down to players who are long shots that can make a huge difference to this team. 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. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm Jake Liscoe, he's James Rapids. We've been covering the Cincinnati Bengals here on a lockdown Bengals since 2016. So if you're looking for your spot for everything you need covering Cincinnati Bengals from daily news and analysis to all the training camp questions you can think of with the training camp preview right around the corner with training camp right around the corner.

Boy, did that sneak up on us. You're in the right place. Every dayers. I already know that. And welcome back if you are in every day. we appreciate all of you very much. And if you're one of those out there that makes Lockdown Bengals your first listen, you've got all the listening habits we ask you to have.

But you can make Lockdown Bengals your first listen as well. And just get into all those good habits. Today, James, we talk about some of the long shots is a word that I used, but it's maybe not quite fair. Some of the less likely players to hit in a big way and really have big breakouts, the quote-unquote lottery tickets. came from a question in our mailbag last week that really gave rise to it to an entire episode. And when you think about lottery tickets, you think about the Cincinnati Bengals, James,

who comes in mind for you first? Well, this is what's interesting about it. It's like, all right, well, lottery ticket. Is it, how do we define that from a winning the lottery standpoint? Where's the risk at? Like, where's the level to it? And there are levels, and there are a bunch of guys that fit this. Like, if Dylan Fairchild, you look up and he's the next coming of Kevin Zitler

and is playing at an above average level this year, well, that may really transform what the Bengals can do offensively. Like, it may really matter. I think lottery ticket-wise, though, it just depends on how we want to. We probably should talk about before the show. We'll talk about it right now. Like, do you want to view it that way? Do we view it as a guy like Gino Stone who I think you are gambling by keeping him around?

That's not something that I was fond of in January, February, even March. They did it. But if you look up in December and Gino Stone has eight interceptions and is playing at a really high level, I'm not saying it's going to happen, but I guess it's possible. It could be a big reason why this Bengals defense is opportunistic and getting stopped. and getting off the field. So that part of it, I think there are a lot of guys. It just depends on how we want to define it because Geno Stone isn't the first one that comes to mind.

But I do think that there are lottery tickets throughout the roster that could really matter and transform this team and push them forward. Well, we can just talk about it in degrees. We can have our scratchers. And then we can have our Powerball, you know. We need six numbers to hit. I like this. Yes. And we can do some analogies.

We can start with our $2 scratcher. and and this is like you know lower stakes lower prizes maybe but but you know maybe maybe a little bit more of a middle of the road kind of kind of lottery ticket here where you're not swinging for the fences just trying to hit a single here your batting average hitting singles let's say you're pretty good hitter 300 you know you know what I mean like you got you got a 30% chance to win a couple bucks yeah I think The scratcher element of it is, is interesting because I think that if there isn't a ton of risk with Chase Brown, but if he takes another like step, we could be talking about an offense that is just so tough to stop.

And so I think he would fall in that category, not that he's risky because by the way, I don't think scratchers are risky. But if he takes another step forward and he is what Dan pitcher said he was, a top 10 back, Like if the Bengals truly have a top 10 running back, they've never had, I mean, you could make the case that they have the best quarterback in the league, best receiver in the top 10 receiver and a top 10 running back. That's never been the case in the Joe Burrow era. Now, that's a lot of people are going to say, oh, you're knocking Joe Mix it. No, at that time, they probably didn't have the best receiver in the league or two top 10 receivers. That's what that means is now that these guys have come into their own, if they really do have that, I think that could pay off.

And that's one of the guys that did come to mind when I started to think of lottery tickets. It's not a big gamble. I think you know what you're going to get. But if there is more there, then you may look up and say, oh, jackpot. I'm thinking that conversation is more of a not just Chase Brown issue. Because I think Chase Brown is really good. How much better can he be if nothing around him changes? And that's where the group conversation kind of comes into this.

Maybe this isn't just a single player. We talked about Amarius Mims as this significant X factor that if he can take that step with his run blocking and exert and enforce his will as the mammoth athlete that he is, then that could be transformative for your run game. But I think it goes beyond Amarius Mims. And Dylan Fairchild is part of this. And I think Dylan Fairchild is a conversation onto himself that it's going to fit into this episode when you started with Fairchild. I thought that was a great place to start. and I think we'll come back to that guy. But I would throw Taj Brooks into this conversation as well,

Marius Mims with whoever shakes out of right guard with Chase Brown. Like, yeah, Chase Brown could take a step. I don't know what that step looks like necessarily for him. How much more meat is on that bone? Maybe a little bit more power in terms of running through tackles, but he's already better there than I thought he would be in the NFL. He's already taking that step to me in the NFL. So can you get a little bit more after contact,

can you get a little bit more in the receiving game, a little bit more savvy over the middle where you're more of a threat in that part of your game as a receiver? But then I wonder, can they just collectively in the run game get a little bit better? And maybe that's a bigger lottery ticket than just a scratcher. Maybe more has to go right for that to hit and to make a huge difference.

but if they did add materially to their success rate in the run game, that would be such a big deal for this team that has put so much on Joe Burroughs plate and this passing game's plate in the last couple of years. And that's it. And as good as Chase Brown was last year, I wouldn't have, I'm not ranking him, and this is in a fantasy conversation, but I don't think he's a top 10 running back as of today. Now, he might be.

And I think that's what they would say is, well, with the scheme fit and all of those things that were tweaking, maybe you look up and you're like, well, yeah, it is the perfect fit. And it is going to work. And you're right. There's a lot of things around him that need to change. But that all matters when it comes to over. Like, people weren't calling Saquan Barkley the best running back in the league a year ago. It gets to Philly and it's like perfect. And he's like, you know.

And so I think if they could do that, it would take. it would take this offense and maybe give it everything, it needs to be the best offense in the league. And so when you talk about like lottery tickets and what could propel them, that's one of those where it's like, well, maybe there is more there. And you're right. Maybe it's an overall run game is the ticket. But it is always going to come back.

I'm sure people are saying it right now, the offensive line. And that's why I thought of like Dylan Fairchild. I don't know if it's a super risk. You take Dylan Fairchild in round three. That's probably about where he was going to go. I'm not sure he lasts until round four. So I'm not sure there's a huge risk there. The risk is, hey, you're a day one starter.

I think there's a lot of risk there. I've talked to people across the league. I'm not sure there are a lot of teams that are like, yeah, he's going to be a day one starter. I think there are people that thought he was going to be a really good player, but that wouldn't have picked him to be a guy that's going to start right now. And so does Scott Peters get the most out of him and make him make that gamble pay off? I think that's a huge ticket for sure that the Bengals are saying is going to be a winner. Well, you saw that clip of him doing the MMA stuff.

Ooh. Hey, I'm not saying he can't wrestle now. Don't wrestle me, I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that at all. I do think he's going to be good. It's just you need him to be good now. If James Brown adds like a half yard to his rushing average, that that would be a pretty big difference. 4-7, right?

Wasn't he 4-1 or 4-2 last year? He was 4-3. So if he gets up to like 4-8, you're talking about some of the best averages in the league. Derek Henry's absurd year, Jemir Gibbs, Sequin Barkley. Those guys are eclipsing that mark. But like so did Bucky Irving in Tampa in that offense. So did, you know, maybe our avid fantasy listeners know these guys, but I don't really know who these guys are.

I don't pay attention to these teams closely enough. But like Jordan Mason with San Francisco and Emmanuel Wilson with Green Bay, those guys, you heard of those guys are fantasy listeners. Oh, yeah. Fantasy-wise, I've had Jordan Mason on rosters. Yeah. And these are like NFC teams, the Bengals didn't play last year, so I didn't pay attention to it at all.

Coming up next, James, let's get into some of the more expensive lottery tickets on this Bengals roster that could propel the team into true contention status or maybe more contention status in 2025. We'll do that next. Today's show is brought to by Game Time. Game time is perfect for you because, well, we've been there. You log on to try to get concert tickets and they go on sale and you lose your spot or you have an internet connection issue and boom, just like that, you don't get to go to that

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as price guaranteed can we talk about just defensive end as a lottery ticket is because that's where my mind goes next where does your mind go next is it are we in the same same chapter same book there yeah it starts with guard is there the lottery ticket that they they took out a little bit i guess and then it is what i struggle with with guard is like it can't hit like there's no hit like you're not winning that one yeah like a hit is if dylan fair child's league average and you get league average right guard play yeah right yeah both guard yeah i'm not as i'm not there on fair child i don't know what fair child's going to give you right guard i think we know what we're getting but like that's the hit like that's the different like that's the different

jackpot which is like who like league average that doesn't mean that joe's not getting touched like just still getting hit joe's still like you know anyways yes so when it comes to the gamble that i think has like the real upside in like the lottery ticket that you get you're like well man if this does turn out shamar stewart for me and and you could say all these guys but i think shamar stewart stewart could certainly be the guy that you look up and you're like, well, duh, this league, there's no way he should have fell to 17. Now, is there a lot of risk there in thinking that? Sure. But does he have, is there a path for him to be a high end, defensive end in this league that just is super disruptive and gets sacks and is a thorn and opposing quarterback sides? Absolutely. There is. And so I get the defensive end, defensive ends in general, but I look at all those tickets. And I think the one that certainly cost you the most, but has the most upside if you hit that jackpot of Shamar Stewart.

Yeah, I think that it's fair to land there. I do think that the conversation probably extends beyond him. I can't help but come back to some sort of grounded realism. Like the best case path for Shamar Stewart is going to be a lot like the best case path that we discussed for Miles Murphy over the past couple of years is at some point you get the Rashon Gary path or the Jason Pierre Paul path or the number of guys who came into the league that didn't have a ton of college of college production but were incredible athletes, incredible testers, like one of one or one of three level testers. and then you put it all together in the NFL. And so I think that even for Shamar, you're talking about him finding that late in the year in an idiot scenario for him,

which could be great if Joseph Osai and Miles Murphy and Cam Sample and Stedric Johnson can get you to the point where late in the year matters. Obviously, Joe Burrow and Jamar Chasey Higgins have a lot to say about that. And December and January football being meaningful for this team. But like if the defense can stay afloat and Shamar Stewart can figure it out late in the year

and then be a terror, say, in the playoffs, say the light bulb comes on in December, right? And then you get that going into January and the offense is doing what we expect the offense to do. Guard questions aside and likelihood of those lottery tickets hitting aside, that's where the Shamar Stewart impact. If that light bulb comes off for him at some point this season, could really elevate them in a significant way in the playoffs. Yeah, it would be, it would be huge.

But you're right. Like, how realistic is it that it happens that quickly? And we're talking about him in that conversation. It's possible. Like, but what we're talking about is him winning defensive rookie of the year. Like, that's, that's it. So I didn't pull up the Fandall odds, but they're not, it's not like he's the favorite and he's not second favorite.

and he's probably in the top 10 because he was the 17th overall pick. But that's the ticket. If you're not going down the path you just described, that's what would need to hit. You would need in week 16 to be feeling really good about Shamar Stewart for defensive rookie of the year if you wagered on him during camp or already had done it during the draft. So it's pretty unlikely. Put it that way.

Not impossible, but if that did happen, that would go along. long way. And what would go an even longer way is if Miles Murphy and OSI were super productive and you had a guy, you know, Samar Stewart come in there and make a defensive rookie of the year case. Some of the favorites for defensive rookie of the year in the NFL, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Jalen Walker, Michael Williams, Mike Green, Samar Stewart, Mason Graham, Jahad Campbell, James Pierce, Malachi Starks, Nickyman Worry on the list.

So, Samar Stewart, got some competition. But if you get there, that's a lottery ticket hitting. And I think that's pretty unambiguous. If Shamar Stewart makes a tangible material impact for this team this year, I mean, you should expect that from your first round pick, but even first round picks that turn into good players.

When you're picking an edge rusher outside of the top five, you're not necessarily expecting them to be Aiden Hutchinson early in their career, or a Bosa early in their career. Like it can take time for a lot of those guys. Would be nice, though. You want to talk about lot of lot of, I mean, couldn't they use that? I mean, obviously they could.

But like, Amarius Mims is just awesome. We talked about him in the X Factor, so I don't think we could still talk about him here. But then you have a guy in Shamar Stewart, and suddenly you look up, and it's like this team that hasn't been able to draft tackles for years, lands Amarius Mims, and then they draft a pass russer.

That's awesome. And Shamar Stewart. Like, how nice would that be? Not saying it's reality, but we're talking about the lottery here. And winning the lottery sounds awesome. I would still do the show with you, Jake. We would still be unlocked on Bengals. And then one day we could talk about them potentially hitting on a defensive tackle in the draft for the first time since like Gino Atkins.

Let's not be crazy now. There's still a chance. There is. I'm just asking for McKinley Jackson. There's definitely a chance. Those guys are young. Let's finish up with our last set of lottery tickets where I try to identify the last and maybe biggest lottery ticket. Who knows for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025 coming up next.

Let's keep the lottery ticket conversation rolling. Man, I'm thinking about this. And I'm going to just mention a little scratcher here because the Gino Stone one, I think that's very real. Sticking with him, there is risk involved in that. Maybe it pays off. maybe it doesn't. So there's one. I think Demetrius Knight is another one for me.

That's not like a huge gamble, but you're, it's definitely scratch off level where you're like, hey, let's use a premium pick. And bank on him being, honestly, I think that expectations are like,

not prime Jermaine Pratt right away, but not super far off. Like you need him to be pretty productive. right away and we'll see if he can do that. I agree with those. I think there's some guys that are kind of in the same category, and it's those guys in Dillon Fairchild. I think you could probably throw some of the cornerback group into this mix as well,

maybe Dax to some degree just because he's coming off the injury, and there's some risk involved with coming off the injury. I think you could throw Al Golden into that conversation on the whole, in Al Golden is in some way, shape, or form representative of a lottery ticket where you've had your drafting issues, your development issues on defense, and you're essentially saying that Al Golden, you're going to come in and find the right way to teach things to these players to field a defense that is cohesive and works and doesn't have guys questioning what their jobs are and has guys playing up to their level. that's a lot to put on out Golden's Plate. We've talked about that a ton this offseason. I think those are all kind of in the same category of if they hit, you are better for it, but there's not necessarily like astronomical impact.

I thought of maybe Dylan Fairchild. Like if Dylan Fairchild really blows us away and like to your earlier example, like if he is Kevin Zitler level right away, that is a big deal. That's a really big deal. And that's about a lottery ticket chance of hitting right away for where we think Dylan Fairchild's starting in the NFL. That one. And then I guess the other one would be like, did you get the next great offensive line coach? Yeah.

Like is that? That's a good one. Because that's what it could be. That's what it could mean. If Dylan Fairchild's really good and they get a production onto that right guard spot, it might just be that they found their dude. They found the guy that is going to bring stability to the offensive line room. That hasn't had stability.

Honestly, since Paul Alexander left, and he was awful at the end, too. Great in his prime, but awful at the end. And I'm fine saying that because I think that's factual. And by the way, usually it ends that way. But the Bengals have had some great offensive line coaches. And so for that to not have not have that in recent. recent years not that I think Frank Pollack was a bad coach but he's certainly not a great offensive line coach it would be nice to have that again let's try to find a couple of

long shot powerball like you're not expecting this to happen but if it does whole boy life changing stuff or season changing stuff I should have shouted out Jim McNally by the way when it comes to Bengals grades and offensive line coaches congrats on the Hall of Fame he just got honored recently oh yeah so I I've been meaning to do that but since we're on every other day now, it just slips my mind. And then so yeah, so shout out to to Jim who, yeah, pass the baton to Paul Alexander. And then after that, it's been kind of a,

a turn style of every few years there's a new guy. So hopefully that changes. All right, go ahead. He's also a big fan of Scott Peters is tweeting a ton about offensive line technique. This was tweeting yesterday or not yesterday. Last week, I think about some strike system stuff. So Jim McNally, great Twitter follow if you're into the nitty-gritty of offensive line coaching and techniques. So let's wrap up by trying to find some of those powerball tickets, James.

There's a couple that come to mind for me on the offensive side of the ball. I have a harder time finding them on the defensive side of the ball. So maybe you'll have some ideas there as well. But on offense, I think Jermaine Burton is very obvious. I think that's the one people have been waiting for us to bring up for 20 minutes or so. But I think Matt Lee is another one. And I'm categorizing him in the same kind of bucket as like, is he going to get a shot? And if he does get a shot, can he make the most of that opportunity?

Because if we can come back to Jermaine Burton, I think we should, if Matt Lee gets a real shot at right guard, and then he runs away with that job, that's where you can hit a right guard in a way that right now earlier when you brought it up I just dismissed like there is no hit there is no winning this lottery because I think we know and Lucas Patrick could come in and be an averageish player maybe Cody Ford finally realizes the second round potential in his you know X-th year what what year is he in the NFL he's drafted in 2019 so sixth year in the NFL seventh year in the NFL seventh year in the NFL But if Matt Lee, who every time he's had an opportunity to pass block in the NFL or in college, has been great at it, can get a real shot, there's not a ton of indication that he will get a real shot.

Yeah. That's a lottery ticket for you. Well, and that's why Jalen Rivers is there, too. I mean, it's the same for me is just finding a real dude that's going to bring stability to that spot. And guess what? It's not going to be Lucas Patrick because he's a 10-year vet. And Cody Ford, I think we know what he is at this time, which is a fine backup. But I'm going to transition from the trenches to Jermaine Burton because, yeah, this is a huge lottery ticket.

I don't think it's as big of a lottery ticket as some will. I'm fine waiting until now because I think his, like, the jackpot scenario is like 35 catches, maybe 40 this year, five touchdowns. Like, I still think that it's, there's a, like, I don't really think there's a scenario, really regardless where we're talking thousand yards and ten touchdowns or something. You know, just insane. And maybe that happens. And he can use this clip and all of those things. But I'm just thinking of like the biggest boom scenario.

And I think it's a really productive year. But I, he's not jumping on, Andre. I'll just break the news now. That's not happening. So he's going to be, he's going to fit a role. role in this in this offense but that would be great if he could fit that role because he does something that no one else on the team really does outside of jamar and t to a lesser degree and not that he can't stretch he can't stretch the field it's just in a different way if he could just be

not if he could just be if he could manage to be marquez valde scantling last year 20 yards a catch on 40 targets caught half the passes he was thrown took the top off for new orleans or Rashid Shahid, same offense, same kind of player. Like, just getting behind defenses. If you can do that to Marcus Robinson with the Rams, similar idea, if you can get to the point where you're getting between 40 and 50 targets and you're putting up, you know, 17 plus yards of catch, that's a difference maker.

Now, is it the level of difference maker that we're talking about for some of these other guys? some of these other spots on this team? I don't think so because there's just not a big enough opportunity. But could that be the play that wins you the pivotal game to get you a higher seed or get you the one seat, get your home field advantage or win a playoff game? If you could count on him in that role and you're not seeing him on a different page from Joe Burrow when they do try to get him those targets, that does make a difference. I just think that's, you know, somewhere between our powerball and scratchers because there's just not a huge opportunity for him as it stands right now.

Yeah. Yeah. And that's that's the dilemma is it's like, all right, well, even if one of the big two get nicked up, well, it's going to be Mike Kisiki and Andre Yosefash and then Jermaine Burr. Like it's going to be all of those guys soaking up some of those targets. So it's it doesn't mean it can't matter. And it does. and hopefully he does hit that and becomes that type of guy. On defense, you're right, there aren't a ton.

I think that the throwing their weight behind Daxo with the fifth year option, you can at least mention him as a guy that they are confident there's more there than we've seen to this point. He's coming off of the injury. So that's a little bit of a roll of the dice. And yet the upside is the best player in the secondary, I think by far.

I think he could be the best player in the secondary. In an ideal world, that's where he would end up. And so you need him, Cam Taylor Britt to a lesser degree, I think. I don't think his upsides is high as Dax's, but I think those two guys come to mind on defense outside of the defense events that we've talked about and some of the young guys that we just haven't seen because they're so young or rookies in Shamar's case. Yeah.

I mentioned Dax earlier as kind of in that same conversation because it's coming off the ACL. but the defense is such a collective lottery ticket. As we discussed. It's Al. I mean, Al's a ticket. Yeah. We talked about Al earlier. Maybe it's William Wagner, the long snapper.

Maybe that's one. Like if he can stabilize that kicking game, if that's what they need, if it's a long snapping issue and that's going to get Evan back to a, you know, 85 plus percent field goal kicker and hitting those 50 yarders, great. Maybe it's as simple as that. Let us know who you think the lottery tickets are on the Cincinnati Bengals in the comments. If you're watching on YouTube or get at us on social media if you're listening on any of your other favorite podcast platforms. But that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast.

Until next time, thanks for listening. Ho-Day. Have a good one.