The Cincinnati Bengals have had little luck drafting mid-round linebackers in recent years.
So far the offensive line and the pass rush unit were the third-worst in the NFL in 2020. The unit that ranked even lower than that were the linebackers for the Bengals who were the second-worst team in the league last year.
The Bengals have gone through a strategy in recent years of signing aging veterans past their prime or using mid-round selections to try and find a success in the linebacker unit. So far, that strategy has not panned out.
Cincinnati will enter the season needing someone to step up as a linebacker to try and stop tight ends and mobile running backs having their way in the passing game. The Bengals have saved this unit as an area of focus while addressing more pressing concerns early in the last few drafts.
While those positions are valued much higher than linebackers for most teams, the fact remains that this has been a group neglected for a long time.
Don’t expect a sudden turnaround from the Bengals linebackers. The best hope is that an increased pass rush and strong secondary will mask this weakness.
Hopefully, these three areas can up the ante in 2021 and no longer be seen as weaknesses when the season is all said and done.