The Cincinnati Bengals should take Josh Jones at Pick 33

There are plenty of options on the board for the Cincinnati Bengals but the team should submit a selection with the name of offensive tackle Josh Jones on it. 

The Cincinnati Bengals have taken a huge leap towards the new direction of their franchise. Zac Taylor got his quarterback, one with the ability and confidence to carry the team further than they’ve ever been. Now, they should secure Joe Burrow some protection by selecting Josh Jones at the top of round two.

The coaching staff is well aware of just how good the 6’5, 320 pound Jones is, as they watched him put on a show at the Senior Bowl back in January. Against some of the very best the nation has to offer, the Texas native more than held his own.

The front office has to be thrilled that an opportunity like this is even available for them. Many believed Jones would be long gone by this point in the draft, but thanks to a few first-round surprises, it pushed the outstanding tackle down the board.

Like any other player in this draft, he’s not a perfect prospect and will need to work on his technique. But his athleticism and potential would allow him to come in and immediately start at right tackle for the Bengals. It’s rare that the best player available and positional need perfectly meet at any given draft slot, but that may be the case here.

There are high-profile wide receivers still up for grabs, namely Denzel Mims and Michael Pittman Jr. While they’re certainly tempting, the wide receiver class, as advertised, is historically deep. Wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell can still find a guy to round out his 2020 core later on. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and the Bengals should focus there first.

Other organizations will undoubtedly ring up the 513 area code in order to trade into slot 33. However, unless the Bengals can get a quarterback-needy team to overpay for a guy like Jacob Eason or Jalen Hurts, they should remain in their position to guarantee they get Jones.

The acquisition of Josh Jones would mean the Bengals would get to pair Joe Burrow with two first-round caliber offensive tackles to begin his career. Both Jones and Jonah Williams are just 22-year-old, offer extremely high upside, and great potential to be rock solid bookends. Pairing a franchise quarterback with a duo of outstanding tackles is a recipe for long-term success.

Heading into 2020, the offensive line would look much improved. If the team goes with the former Houston tackle, they would have a starting 5 consisting of Jonah Williams, Michael Jordan, Trey Hopkins, Xavier Su’a Filo, and Josh Jones. That’s even before considering the fact that the front office could snag a quality guard later on.

The options are endless for the Bengals at the top of round two. However, if they want to rebuild the right way, they’d take Josh Jones and stabilize the offensive line for their franchise quarterback.