Three Bold Draft Predictions for the Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have had one of, if not the worst, linebacker units in the entire league for the past several seasons. One year of that under Zac Taylor’s watch was seemingly enough, as the team has made it clear they intend to fix the position this offseason.

Germaine Pratt is a good, young player to lay the foundation and the signing of Josh Bynes means the new blood that is inevitably on the way will have a mentor to look up to.

Regardless of the positive steps forward, those two won’t be enough to hold things down, and the front office still has to hit on the picks spent on linebackers when the end of April rolls around. There’s plenty of reason to believe they will do so.

For starters, the team’s defensive philosophy has shifted. They’re now open to drafting versatile playmakers such as Zach Baun, whereas, in the past, such a player may not have been viewed as a fit.

In addition, Lou Anarumo has shown a preference to line somebody like Shawn Williams up in the box over a player with a traditional linebacker archetype, suggesting they have seemed to catch on to the trend most of the league is following–coverage linebackers.

They’ll have the opportunity to right their past wrongs and draft prospects who fit the mold of the modern NFL linebacker. Whether it be a more well-known name in Troy Dye or Malik Harrison, or guys reigning from small-time schools such as Akeem Davis-Gaither or Logan Wilson, the Bengals should finally shore up the team’s biggest weakness.