If the Bengals plan on having any success on offense, they will need to improve the running game. The draft is obvious. But, free agency is calling.
Of course, the Bengals have lost a ton of key starters on the offensive line but there may be some ways to patch it up. The line probably won’t be as good as it was 2 years ago, but I think it has the potential to be decent. If they can provide Andy with a running game, that opens up the offense more and hopefully helps avoid a losing season.
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Sure, Kevin Zeitler and Andrew Whitworth will be missed, but there’s no time for reminiscing. The Bengals’ running game was subpar last year. It was up and down, to say the least. Cincinnati had to focus on the pass more than the run due to getting little to nothing on the ground. The Bengals will probably try to follow the Cowboys blueprint by drafting a running back, have a line built around him and let him go wild.
Draft Offensive Lineman 2+ Times in Rounds 2-6
You may wonder, why don’t you have the Bengals taking an o-lineman in the first round? Well, no o-lineman is worth the #9th pick right now. The Bengals have eight picks between rounds 2-6 and those picks which can be used to revamp the line. In the second round, I would strongly consider picking up Forrest Lamp or Dan Feeney if those guards are still available.
An offensive tackle in the 2nd round wouldn’t be bad either, depends on who’s available. If someone like Cam Robinson or Garrett Bolles miraculously falls to the 41st pick, that’d be a steal. A realistic option would certainly be Taylor Moton who is most likely to be available at that point.
According to his NFL Draft Profile:
"A bear with strong paws. Plays tend to end for defender once he latches on. Functional climbing to second-level target. Bull rushers won’t bully him very often."
Something that Cedric Ogbuehi struggled with was the bull rush. Moton would be a plus there. Not only does he possess the ability to defend with power but also to be a versatile part of the team. The Bengals love versatility and Moton has the experience playing as a right guard and also tackle for Western Michigan.
One player that I would certainly look at during rounds 3-5 is Aviante Collins. He’s a bit raw but is probably the most athletic offensive linemen in the draft. Collins has the ability to finish his blocks and good footwork, although he does lack some power which can be addressed once in the league. His athletic ability and speed portray tons of upside for him and I wouldn’t mind him as a project in the later rounds.
Draft a Running back from Rounds 1-3:
If the Bengals plan on having a successful running attack, they will need to acquire a new back. With Jeremy Hill not being what he once was since his rookie year, Cincinnati needs a replacement soon. This is one of the best running back classes in a while and the Bengals could get a top-tier talent in later rounds. Let’s first discuss which running backs they could potentially draft in the first round.
One running back that’s been mocked to the Bengals a lot and someone who is a quite interesting prospect is Leonard Fournette. Fournette has amazing speed and size to run through tackles and make plays after contact. Something that’s been a knock on Fournette has been his inability to play well against top competition. He would be an ideal player to draft if the Bengals decide to follow up drafting him with o-linemen. Another player could be Dalvin Cook, who has decent speed and has the ability to catch and run the ball quite well.
Pick up Joe
A running back that the Bengals have shown some serious interest in is Joe Mixon. Yes, he’s the running back at age 18 who hit a woman and got suspended for a whole year. After that incident, he wasn’t in much trouble through his next couple of seasons. If it wasn’t for his off-field incident, Mixon would’ve been the first running back off the board.
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He’s a complete all-around back, he’s got great quickness and ability to run the ball. Not only can he create chaos on the ground, he’s got the ability to catch the ball fluidly. The Bengals have met with him prior to his pro day and he’s visited Cincinnati. meeting with Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis and the coaching staff. I would consider drafting him if he’s matured and turned his life around.
In the end, running back is certainly a need for the Bengals due to Giovani Bernard’s injury, Hill being in a contract season and Rex Burkhead being a free agent.
Pick up Veteran Presence in Free Agency
There are some decent o-linemen that are available in free agency which can provide some veteran presence on the line. We need some players that can come in and start right away–at an average level–until the younger guys are up to speed. Although many of the better o-line free agents have been signed, there are still some decent players available. Players that can provide adequate pass protection and do some damage in the run game would be exactly what the Bengals through free agency.
A former Pro-Bowler like Nick Mangold can be one of those veterans that the Bengals could sign to a one or two-year deal. Mangold was a full-time starter for the New York Jets for a whole decade, starting 164 games. He would come in right away and start instead of Bodine and provide better blocking for sure. Although he’s aging, he’s still a decent center and would be a great replacement for Bodine unless the Bengals take one in the draft.
Another veteran I think the Bengals have already looked at and are probably going to sign is Andre Smith. He could be making a return since the Bengals are in need of some tackles after the departure of Whitworth. Smith would come in and start at right tackle right away, while Cedric Ogbuehi or Jake Fisher play the left tackle position.
There are some serviceable players still available in free agency that can provide some depth for the Bengals if they aren’t afraid to look.