Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - The Cincinnati Bengals' Defense RELOADED! But Did They Do Enough?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals made major additions to their defense this off season, but didn't upgrade it linebacker. So the question is, well, it all come together? Let's break it down. You are locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liscoe, joined by your host, Joe,

Starting point is 00:00:36 Goodberry, and we are Locked on Bengals. Today, we'll be discussing the answers we're looking to get from the Cincinnati Bengals during OTAs a little bit later in the show. But we want to start with a big picture topic with Joe returning to the podcast. And if you missed all the fanfare, go check out yesterday's episode for the announcement and our plans for the podcast with Joe returning to be my co-host here on lockdown Bengals. But one of the big questions that we haven't really had a chance. to discuss and there are many because Joe's just come back into this space and so we're going

Starting point is 00:01:11 to retread some ground and get a fresh perspective and discussion with Joe here over the next few weeks on a lot of big picture topics is well they added a lot on defense but what about the linebackers? It's been pretty consistently a question from Bengals fans that are concerned about that position and whether the Bengals are doing the right thing by trusting Demetri Saint and Barrett Carter to improve behind an improved defensive front and in front of an improved secondary, especially with the addition of Brian Cook. So today we want to start the show with how do all the pieces come together? Do we think they have done enough on defense to make a quote unquote good unit on that side of the ball

Starting point is 00:01:54 that can win the team games when they need to win a game on the back of the defense, which comes up every now and then even though Joe Burrough, Jamar Chase, and T. Higgins are on the other side. So the conversation will touch on the linebacker topic and how much the additions around the linebackers have helped. And let's start there because obviously, Joe, the additions of Bengals have made we've talked about quite a bit on this show, but not with you. So how much of an impact do you think from the way you view putting this defense together

Starting point is 00:02:26 these guys, these additions will make for Al Golden's unit this year? I think talent was a big issue last year. I think it's been for a couple years now on the defensive side, obviously. You know, whether it be, do they have the playmakers at safety? Do they have enough pass rushers? The linebacker last year is a huge discussion. We'll continue to be all offseason. It's the new offensive line discussion that we had for 10 years almost,

Starting point is 00:02:51 where it was like, is it good enough? Can it just be 16th in the league? And now we're saying that about, you know, the defense. Because when you have an offense that's expected to be top five or seven in most categories, You just need a good enough defense or an opportunistic defense. The defense wasn't elite or, yeah, I don't even know if it was great or verging on good for 2021 or 2022, but it was very opportunistic. It found ways to create plays and get turnovers when you needed them.

Starting point is 00:03:20 And can this defense at least do that? Can you be Ben, but don't break, but also have a splash play? I have some concerns not just with the players. I also, this larger conversation that won't be answered in OTAs in camp, is if Al Golden can learn from what they did last year and they kind of tore up the playbook or at least the philosophy halfway through the year at the bio week and they looked much better in the second half. Is that fool's gold or is that real schematic change and an understanding of the personnel you have and what you didn't have? And that's why you go out and you get the Brian

Starting point is 00:03:52 Cook and you get the Dexter Lawrence and the Boy A Mafé and maybe even Cal Dougger might be a very underrated free agent signing. Just here, Taylor, if he competes for that nickel spot. So tons of questions that we have going into the summer now that could potentially have been answered. But I do think they did not have enough talent. I think we got together every offseason on lockdown Bengals at some point. And I think we always came to the same conclusion going into camp or whatever of, do they have enough talent on defense? I don't think that's my question anymore.

Starting point is 00:04:22 Dexter Lawrence, obviously being part of that. The one player acquisition that you didn't mention there, Joe, I think does make a difference for this team too. with Jonathan Allen as a rotational pass rusher and figuring out how they're going to deploy Jonathan Allen alongside maybe Samar Stewart on the interior on passing downs. And is that part of their nickel front? Do you take Dexter Lawrence off the field in those situations? It's another question because Dexter Lawrence is a guy that has been a three-down player. But this thing really all is kind of hinging around what exactly Dexter Lawrence is going to be. And that's where the excitement is coming from, right?

Starting point is 00:04:58 It is that Dexter Lawrence dictates offensive line protection simply by being on the field. And much the same way Aaron Donald did, even though Aaron Donald played a different position, the way the Bengals would protect for Aaron Donald and many teams would protect when Aaron Donald was on the other side of the field was, we're just going to slide to Aaron Donald.

Starting point is 00:05:17 We'll just make sure there's some help for Aaron Donald. For the most part, you're going to see that with Dexter Lawrence. When there's a pass protection being set and Dexter Lawrence is on the field, we're going to make sure there's a little bit of help. for Dexter Lawrence most of the time. And the question then becomes, how much can the Bengals take advantage of that opportunity?

Starting point is 00:05:34 That's what I am most curious about. That's going to be a Jerry Montgomery and Algold in question. How much can they take advantage of the gravity? And I've said this numerous times on the podcast. Gravity, like we talk about with Jamar Chase, happening on the defensive side of the field with Dexter Lawrence, the real field tilter, the protection tiltor where, yeah, Trey Hendrickson was awesome.

Starting point is 00:05:55 and then they could dictate, you know, we're going to get chip help on Trey Hendrickson if Trey's having a crazy game and he could do that where the approach on the edge will be very different. There's a different kind of advantage that you get when you have a dominant interior player like Dexter Lawrence. No doubt. And I was going to say that as you're getting to your last point, like, Trey had gravity. Like teams had to block him. They had to know what he was doing. He didn't line up in different positions. So I think that was a little bit easier for, you know, a top pass rush or in the league to only line up on the right side. It makes your protection

Starting point is 00:06:29 challenges not as difficult, not as robust because I think that's where it starts. If you ask any offensive coach, they're probably going to say, first thing now when facing the Bengals in their game plan is how do we block Dexter Lawrence? How much of our game plan is going to be two guys blocking him and staying with him rather than climbing up to that second level to get to Barrett Carter and Demetra's night, right? Because you actually have to treat him like if we go one on one and we watch the film remember when they they traded for him we went right online and started screaming and put film on it would be like eight plays in a row of double teams and then they go okay we're good we'll single block him now and he would beat them right then and there and you could see just yeah don't have that room for error he is such a unique in a unicorn player that to see a nose tackle move the way he does to see him penetrate the way he does to see him pass rush the way he does is something I've never seen from that specific no-tackle position. And I think offenses are really scared of that being in the heart of their offense,

Starting point is 00:07:35 the heart of their protections, the center point of the entire field. When you have that, yeah, I wonder if, you know, I'm thinking of the Trey's gravity, the first half of the year, I thought they struggled. It was one of the things I thought they didn't do well in the first half. Was there when Trey was healthy? They're like, okay, let Trey win on this third down. And the rest of the stunts were discombobulated and slow. It was like, our, Trey, save us.

Starting point is 00:07:57 Is it going to be Dexter Lawrence save us? Or is it easier to build that from the center and then have a bunch of functioning pass rushers around him, which I think they do now. And I wouldn't have said that a year ago or even honestly, go back to 2022 and 2021. The 2020, they lost Ogen, Jobi, but got Joseph's side. Really, that's, you know, not a lot of depth for fast rushersers. It's not a lot of waves. And I'm thinking of like the fifth guy on the D-line.

Starting point is 00:08:22 And then 2021, they really don't have anything at defensive on either at behind Trey and Sam. And Sam was an extremely good pass rush or solid player could accumulate pressures. This pass rush unit now, they don't have the Trey, especially at edge. But they have enough guys that are different and have good getoff or agility or speed, whatever. They have a trait, even Shemar being along that will run through your face if, you know, he doesn't have a plan. That's at least worth something. They have enough guys to deploy at you to keep you off balance a little bit. Yeah, I think the depth on the defensive line is such a significant difference for this team than really any defense that we've seen in the Joe Burrow era and probably going long before that.

Starting point is 00:09:03 The Bengals have typically been as long as I can remember in the modern era, like including Marvin, relatively top heavy in the defensive line room. Like we reminisce fondly about the Wallace Gilberry years when they had him coming and playing a specific role. Jonathan Vanene. A little bit of extra juice. Yeah, the Panana years. But, I mean, four deep at both of the major defensive line positions, you're feeling pretty good about that. And when it is attached to a secondary that should be improved

Starting point is 00:09:36 with the stability of Brian Cook and the veteran presence of Kyle Dugger and the continued development of your two corners, DJ Turner and Dax Hill, you can start to feel pretty good about the direction of the passing defense with some questions at Slot Corner and linebacker. So let's talk about the linebacker role and how the improvements around the linebackers might help those guys in the run game and in the past game and discuss the approach the Bengals are taking at that position coming up next. This episode of Blackdown Bengals is sponsored by Indeed, who knows that when there's workplace chaos and deadline stacking up and you got too many emails to answer.

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Starting point is 00:11:08 Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply. If you need to hire, this is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. Joe, a lot of hand-wringing rightfully so, I think, about whether the Bengals are making the right decision at linebacker. It's the spot that we talked about throughout free agency, after free agency, during the draft looking for, well, is Sunny Style is going to be the fit? Nope, they traded out of that pick. And now how much does Dexter Lawrence and his presence on that defensive line,

Starting point is 00:11:42 the presence of veterans, BJ Hill and Jonathan Allen on the interior, and guys that can hold up and be multi-phase players on the edge in Miles Murphy and Boye-Mafé? And hypothetically, from Marsh Stewart, we'll see about his development. That will be a topic unto itself. How much does that help these linebackers? The answer to me has always been a little bit nebulous, Joe, because the linebackers still have to make the plays that are available to them, right? But hypothetically, their job should be easier with stability behind them,

Starting point is 00:12:12 especially with Brian Cook and around them and in front of them, the injection of talent should make their job easier in the run game. What's your assessment of the linebacker spot and how the Bengals are approaching it at this point? Yeah, first thing, you know, does Lawrence help that? And theoretically, a lot of old school football minds will say, yeah, you get that nose tackle. And I even started with this. Like if you have to block and double team, you can't get to the linebacker.

Starting point is 00:12:36 You can play more freely. You can play faster. You can play with clearer vision at linebacker. But having said that, if you go and look at the linebackers the Giants had while Lawrence was there, it ain't get great linebacker play either. And so it's not an automatic, you know, insert these guys and they're just going to be able to run free. You're right. They still have to get there.

Starting point is 00:12:55 They still have to understand what they're seeing, see it quickly, get to the play, make the play, finish the tackle, right? There's still a lot to it, even though you're not dealing with an offensive alignment in your face every time. Plus, I mean, 60% of the game in any given game, unless you're getting the Ravens wanting to run the ball down your throat or something, is going to be a passing game. And you still have to be able to drop back into coverage and know what you're doing. And your defensive tackle is not really going to keep you free or save you there.

Starting point is 00:13:21 But I do think it helps. I was asked this question on Twitter, like how many sacks do we think the Bengals D-line will get this year with all this? And I looked at the Giants as well because I said, well, how many were they getting? Were they getting a bonus sacks because of Lawrence? And not really. And that's what like Brian Burns and Kvon Tibado and Abdul Carter and they still end up with 39, 40 sacks. I'm like, okay, well, then force multiplier is a thing, but is it tangible and does it result in production? I think some of that is left to be discovered, I think, for us.

Starting point is 00:13:52 because it's been a long time since we've had a guy like this. I mean, Gino Ackins would probably be the last one where it's like, man, this is a force multiplayer to the point of everyone benefits from him. And he plays a different position and plays on his own that are going to be a different kind of play than we're going to see Dexter Lawrence makes. He won very differently than I think we're expecting Dexter to win. Yeah, that's right. We're talking about a penetrator versus more of a space eater that can do more,

Starting point is 00:14:20 can pass rush, which is a little bit different. But the other part is we've done this research, you and I both looked at this and you try to use PFF grades and say, okay, if that's the standard, can these guys get better in years two and three and so on? And what positions typically perform poorly as rookies? It says that linebacker is the worst performing position as a rookie. So should we have expected them to look the way they did last year? Yeah, probably. You know, it would be nice to get that Jehad Campbell or the Carson-Swessinger and that guy steps in right away and he's great. the norm is actually that these guys struggle, that position struggles.

Starting point is 00:14:54 It's a much different position from college to the NFL, but they do take significant steps forward. Does it mean they become pro-bowl players? No. Could they be on the path to becoming Jermaine Pratt or Logan Wilson? I think a lot of that comes down to can they make the timely plays that those guys did and that it was so big in there. You know, when we talk about Pratt and Logan Wilson, 5, 10, 15 years down the line, we'll talk about specific plays that these guys made in big games and big

Starting point is 00:15:20 moments. And I think that's what I'll probably hope for this year and year two. There's still be some bumps in the road, even with improvement for Knight and Carter. But if they can make the plays, then I can overlook some of the mistakes. Yeah, if you can start getting playmaker, but inconsistent, that's very different from just inconsistent. I would say that Logan Wilson and Jermaine Pratt both were fairly consistent players for those good years for the Bengals, where you generally could count on them to, for the most part, do their job being the right place. at the right time, make the tackle when it's available to them. The tackling issue is one that we're going to be talking about again this year.

Starting point is 00:15:57 We're really pinning a lot of our hopes on the consensus, I think, you could say. Biggest upgrade at any one particular skill in a defense going from Gino Stone to Brian Cook and safety and their ability to tackle. And obviously, that is not an original thought. You've heard that all over the place. So that should help. But Barrett Carter and Demetri's sight tackling better would also be a massive improvement for this defense because the missed tackles were a huge problem and they were a part of it. Now, can we expect that to improve maybe a little bit?

Starting point is 00:16:31 Because I do think, like you said, when the game slows down for linebackers in particular, which you tend to see in their second year of professional football, you do tend to see those tackles become a little bit easier to make because then you're in the right place a little bit more regularly on time. instead of reacting late, being late, having to play outside of your frame and outside of your correct timing, then those plays become a lot harder to make. And so the presence of veterans on the defensive line, and I don't think it's just Dexter Lawrence here, because BJ Hill is also a rock solid player

Starting point is 00:17:09 who knows what he's doing on the defensive level. Jonathan Allen. I don't want to forget BJ Hill, to be honest with you. I think a lot of people have started to mention Allen before Hill. I wouldn't be shocked if he'll plays more snaps than Alan. I'm expecting him, too. He's going to be more of a three-down player. Alan, I think, can still do all those things.

Starting point is 00:17:25 But the lean seems to be that he will be used more as a pass rusher, because that is still, I think the bigger strength to his game, and we'll see if there's a bounce back year to him. I think there is a potential for that in a more traditional kind of front than the Brian Flores' responsibilities. He's talked about how well the system works, but how different it was for him. that system. Last thing I'll say, Joe, is I think it also will depend as far as the linebacker

Starting point is 00:17:53 play this year and how much of a boost they get from Dexter Lawrence. What version of Dexter Lawrence the Bengals get? If they get the 23, 22 version of Dexter Lawrence, well, that's a little bit of a difference. You go look at Bobby Akerike's best years in the NFL, and the best is probably behind 2023 Dexter Lawrence. And the Giants that year, they get pretty decent linebacker play. like Micah McFadden, who's one of the examples, if you're looking for the second-year leap, goes from 38 PFF grade as a rookie, which is your Barrett Carter-Demetrius Knight Territory. Yeah, they're 39, right? To a 65 the next year and a 63 in 2024.

Starting point is 00:18:37 And I think we would take that right now, right? Like after the years we saw from those guys, if they can get to that average territory. And O'Caricay was pretty good for the Giants in 24 as well. of course, he was pretty good for the Colts before he joined the Giants. But I think that if you get that dominant level from Dexter Lawrence, which I think it's fair to speculate we can expect because last year there was clear and documented motivation issues for Lawrence, which you don't love, you don't love to talk about motivation issues.

Starting point is 00:19:07 But it's 180 already, doesn't it? No doubt. And before that, there were some injuries going on. And the elbow was a factor. And it may have even been a factor last year despite. folks indicating and Dexter Lawrence downplaying the concern about the elbow last year. But how it all comes together is going to be fascinating. I think you and I probably agree.

Starting point is 00:19:28 It would have been nice to have seen them add a player to that room. Because even the depth doesn't look great, right? Like Liam Anderson, Swayze Bozeman, Joe Giles Harris, Shaka Hayward, those are all special teams-type caliber players? Are we really relying on Oren Burke's as linebacker three? And if a guy goes down, is he ready to step? in. I think there's, I would expect they still have their eye on that position and could be looking at it in the summer. Much like Dalton Riser was a late edition last year, we're going to get a look

Starting point is 00:19:57 at some competition in OTAs, the early part of training camp, obviously minicamp in a couple of weeks with training camp next month. And then the reality might hit that a move might be necessary there. And that's what we're going to continue to keep our eyes open for. And with OTAs starting, Let's talk about some of the answers that we might get from OTAs in minicamp before we see those competitive starts, parts of the practice take effect. We'll finish the show with a little OTA question and answer some of the thoughts that we have going into OTAs coming up next. This episode of Lockdown Bengals is sponsored by Fandul. The NBA finals are here.

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Starting point is 00:21:12 If you're not keeping up with the NBA as closely, Like, I'm not, well, Fandul has all the information you need to be as informed as possible. And if that's not your thing, you want to look at the NFL futures? Well, you can take a look at the Bengals win totals and they're minus 410 to go over seven and a half wins, minus 140 to go over nine and a half wins. They haven't hit that nine and a half number in a few years now. Maybe that's a value. Maybe you see it that way.

Starting point is 00:21:40 Well, you can check all of it out at Fandle. We'll head to fandul.com to get started. Fandle, play your game. Joe, with OTA is about to start up, we might get some answers to some questions that we've had. And one of them is going to be around Kyle Dugger and what role we're going to see from Kyle Dugger. Another one might be,

Starting point is 00:22:03 Wilson Mar Stewart continue to play inside. What are those defensive line rotations looking like at this point in the off season? Not that they're necessarily in stone. They're certainly not at this point, but you might glean a little bit of information about how they're planning to use some guys. I think that extends to Jack Endries, for example, and Eric All on the other side of the ball at tight end and how those guys are coming along.

Starting point is 00:22:26 Where Jack Endries is being used, are they trusting him to play in line? Or are they trusting him more to be a Tanner Hudson kind of player where he's going to be in the Mike Gasecki mode in the slot playing the tight end who's not attached role? Because I think he can play in line. Those are some of the things that really come to mind for me. Another one will be, I think, Joe, the perennial question of how much is Joe Burrell under center? Because it feels like every offseason, that's a point of emphasis that doesn't carry

Starting point is 00:22:54 over into the regular season. Yeah, that'll probably be the answer to that one is a lot more than he will be in the regular season. And maybe that's part of their slow starts is they do too many things that they're not going to end up doing when September comes around, right? And maybe they will this year. And maybe they'll stick with it. It has increased a little bit with them.

Starting point is 00:23:10 But I'm glad we talked more D-Line linebacker in the previous segments because I think I have just as many questions on the secondary, even though that's maybe the strength. I don't know, Pett, D-Line secondary. Actually, I wonder what people would say in the comments, which is the strength now for the Bengals defense. Because I do think they have a pretty strong secondary at this point. But Dax and D.J. Looking for contracts, does that affect them? Do they hold out? Do they not show up?

Starting point is 00:23:36 I mean, you usually don't know until the OTAs start to roll around if players are really, you know, frustrated with the progression of the talks. If the teams are and the sides are coming back and forth and progress to be made, guys tend to show up. If not, if they're far apart, you may see something. But so it would be interesting on DJ Turner's part there more than anything. But I was going to say, Kyle Dugger, I'm glad you started with that. Kyle Dugger, to me, is an underrated signing.

Starting point is 00:24:00 And I'm glad the national media has actually brought them up a few times when they talk about the Bengals. They've had a lot of talent in this off season. And then I mentioned, you know, Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence and Brian Cook, but then they throw Kyle Dugger in there. because Dugger was this generation. I still think he's considered this generation. He was one of the original of this generation to be the safety linebacker,

Starting point is 00:24:19 slot hybrid type defenders that was super athletic and can do all of these things. And I think he made a name for himself with the Patriots when he was doing that. And it wasn't until he got paid and they wanted to play more traditional safety. That his play started to dip and fall off. And then when he went to the Steelers last season, they started using them that way early until they shook. up their entire secondary and then he ended up playing more traditional safety. They got him for extremely cheap, which makes me a little bit nervous that they don't see him as somebody who can be

Starting point is 00:24:48 a big time player for them. But I think we have serious questions at slot. Yeah, Jayland Davis played well last year. He was not targeted. The Bengals did not put him in a position where he was targeted a ton. He did make some plays when he was, which is great. But I think we have a very small sample size of understanding what he is and what he can be. He's been a practice squad player for a long time. Any team in the league could have had him at any point over the last like seven years or so that he's been in the league. I wonder if Dugger's going to play more of that. I wonder if Dugger's going to play some linebacker and relieve some of Demetrius Knight maybe in coverage. Barrac Carter looked real stiff last year to me in coverage, but he's the green dot guy, so I assume he's going to stay on the field.

Starting point is 00:25:29 I just have a lot of questions about how they're going to use these pieces. You have a lot of pieces. That's a good thing. You got to use them correctly. Yeah, I think Dugger is incredibly interesting. And a guy that we've talked about when it was James and I doing the show because it's very obvious. Where he was most effective was when he was a box and slot player. And that was his first three years in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:25:52 Then he signs that extension, like he said. And starts playing a lot more deep safety and more traditional safety roles and hasn't been quite as strong of a fit for him. But if they can get him back to what was a more part-time role, played fewer snaps. his first few years than he did when he went to be a full-time player in 2023, the box and slot rule deal with some of the matchups that you like for him as a 6-2-22 pound. I mean, we were talking about linebackers this year who are about Kyle Dugger's size, which is why we're talking about Kyle Dugger helping in the linebacker room, box and slot player, situational kind of player, the Nickyman-Worry kind of role.

Starting point is 00:26:36 How exciting would that be if the Bengals get a guy here for? of value who can be, and I'm not saying he's going to be Nickyman worry, he just turned 30 in March, but can do some of that for you because he should still have that skill set, right? He still has the size, shouldn't be too far falling off athletically at this point, maybe in the next couple of years that happens, but the value the Bengals have him at, he could be a real situational sub-package boost for an area where I think they struggled last year, especially if you can provide help in the box as well as, like, you know, in the lineback role, as well as some matchup stuff in the slot.

Starting point is 00:27:16 And if you're going to get back to the Super Bowl or make a deep playoff run, you're going to have to get values somewhere, right? Like, we always want to go spend the five, $8 million contracts. And of course, so they did a few of those. But you're going to have to get some of these one and $2 million contracts to far exceed what they're being paid. Kyle Dugger looks like the guy that could do that in this defense. You know, can it be just here, Taylor?

Starting point is 00:27:35 Can it be Jailene Davis? So just maybe that last year was who he was going to be. And he's a solid slot guy for you. But I also think you get it from the rookies. And is that going to be like, what is Ticario Davis's role? That's one of the big questions we may have right away. If they're right away using him to cover tight ends, they did this with Dax last year. But maybe they just want Dax to be a boundary guy.

Starting point is 00:27:54 And they say, all right, Ticario, you do that. You cover Trey McBride, you know, because that's a game I think of where Dax had that. Braylon Lux also, to mention, cover Trey McBride a bunch in that late season game. So maybe we see some of Brayle much. But also, Brian Parker, where does he line up? What do they start using him? Is it all five positions? Is it four? Is it like, okay, you're probably our best swing tackle because I really don't have a good one. Let's see you there. And then Kobe Young, how quickly and where does he start to fit in to the wide receiver rotation? I'm air quotes there for the listeners because

Starting point is 00:28:23 the Bengals haven't really found a way to get those guys in. We saw a little bit last year of who's the whom I thinking of with one-handed catches that was preseason favorite. I'm looking at the depth chart right now. Mitchell Tinsley, we start. to see a little bit of that. There was times I wanted to see more. Can the Bengals figure out a way to get Kobe Young involved? Yeah. And I mean, as far as sensational catches go, he has the potential and ball skills to be that other high point player, not that Mitchell Tensley was disappointing in that regard, but he also could potentially make some more of the routine plays that we didn't see from Mitchell Tensley. So Kobe Young and where he fits, how quickly he hits the ground running,

Starting point is 00:29:01 as it were, it's going to be something that we're watching through the next few weeks and in training camp as well. And how some guys are getting used is probably the biggest question. I mentioned Jack injuries. I remain intensely curious about Jack Andrews rookie season here because as a seventh round pick, that seems like a guy that could be a future fine, adequate starter at tight end. And getting that in the seventh round is pretty awesome. And so where he's used, will be fascinating where Eric Hall is being used as he's returning and it has been practicing. If he's out there for the competitive parts of work in the OTA process and in minicamp, if they're doing any 11s especially, not that they're going to be full contact,

Starting point is 00:29:46 but seeing where they're using Eric Al, if they're putting him back in that full back alignment that we started to see a lot of from him in addition to attaching him in line, the tight ends are a conversation unto themselves, I think. but the questions will begin to be answered as we see how these guys are used during OTAs. And yeah, I mean, great point about the depth on the offensive line, where Brian Parker fits in, how quickly he can or does unseat some of the more established players in front of him. Jalen Rivers taking a year two step in development would be welcome as well.

Starting point is 00:30:24 That's not something we're going to see in OTAs, but expecting to see him at guard. And so, yeah, who the backup tackles are is a question that we've had and talked about. Like, could they add a swing tackle? Yeah, could they add a linebacker? Yeah, those are both moves that I think we would welcome at this point. But we also need to see how the guys on the team will fit in. Yeah? You want to talk about running back, Joe?

Starting point is 00:30:45 I think they could. I mean, Taj didn't really show much last year as a rookie. And, you know, if Brown or P-Rine went down, you are really thin. Yeah. Yeah, I wonder what the confidence level is in running backs behind. the first two for this team as well. And we'll take a look at all the information we can glean from the OTA practices. We're going to have some folks who are there in person from the local beat joining us to talk about what they see at these sessions as well, which aren't like

Starting point is 00:31:18 training camp practices. They're not going to be as intense. You're not going to have the move the ball drills and the more realistic, simulated football kind of stuff going on. But we can see where guys are aligning, who's getting run. There will be one-on-ones, I'm sure, with corners and receivers that we'll see some highlights of over the next couple weeks. Those are always fun as well. And that'll be coming your way soon here on the Lockdown Bengals podcast. But that's going to do it for this episode of this Lockdown Bengals podcast.

Starting point is 00:31:48 Until next time, thanks for listening. Ho-Day. And have a good one.

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