Defense wins championships is a saying that is said often in the NFL and Cincinnati Bengals fans found themselves saying this last year, as the team’s defense helped get the team to the Super Bowl.
Despite the improvements made on that side of the ball, Cincinnati keeps on adding depth to the defense, this time in the form of Florida’s Zach Carter.
Not typically thought of as a Day 2 pick, Carter is someone who can still make big waves in the Queen City. Charlie Goldsmith noted that the Florida Gator had eight sacks last year so there’s no doubt that the stripes will let him get after the quarterback.
The Bengals have drafted defensive lineman Zach Carter.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) April 30, 2022
Instead of drafting a true edge rusher, the Bengals get a versatile piece who can move inside. Carter had 8 sacks last year at Florida.
Bengals draft Zach Carter with the 95th overall pick
This is now the third straight pick the stripes have spent on defense, which sends a message. The Bengals aren’t content with the D that turned things around last year. They want the unit to continue to get better and they’re hoping Carter can be a part of that.
Lou Anarumo is excited about what Carter can offer in the pass-rushing department.
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on new draft pick Zach Carter's ability to rush the passer: “You value that over everything when you’re looking at guys like that,”
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) April 30, 2022
Some might look at a few of the big boards floating around out there and feel this was a major reach by the Bengals but the organization was clearly a huge fan of the Florida product. They liked the guy enough to take him in the third round and they’ll put him right to work in this defense.
Dane Brugler had Zach Carter as a sixth-rounder and the 27th-ranked edge.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) April 30, 2022
This was a surprising pick from Cincinnati, especially with Perrion Winfrey still on the board but Carter showed last year that he’s no stranger to getting after quarterbacks. This pick highlights the team’s preference of being able to get versatile guys, as Daxton Hill, Cam Taylor-Britt, and now Zach Carter, who adds another level of versatility to their defensive front.
With all of the good quarterbacks in the AFC, it’s important for the Bengals to add pass-rushing help and hopefully, Carter can be a part of that.
How do you feel about this pick, Bengals fans?