The first week of free agency is in the books, and while the Cincinnati Bengals were relatively quiet when it came to signing outside players, they did make a major splash by agreeing to long-term contract extensions with star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
With a ton of money now tied up in their star receiving duo, it will be exceedingly important that the Bengals identify some [relatively] cheap talent that can come in and contribute immediately in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
With that in mind, here's a new, three-round mock draft for Cincinnati following the deals for Chase and Higgins.
Round 1 (No. 17 overall): James Pearce Jr., Defensive end, Tennessee
Edge rusher was arguably Cincinnati's biggest need heading into the offseason, and they did little to address it in free agency (so far). The Bengals had one of the weakest pass rushes in the NFL last season, and that was with Trey Hendrickson leading the league in sacks. Imagine if he's traded over the offseason.
Even if Hendrickson is back with the team, they still need to add a young, explosive edge rusher, and James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee would fit the bill. In college, Pearce demonstrated an ability to break through the line of scrimmage and wreak havoc in the backfield. During his final two seasons at Tennessee, Pearce recorded 28 tackles for a loss and 17.5 sacks. Impressive production, and the exact type of production that the Bengals could desperately use.
Round 2 (No. 49 overall): Donovan Jackson, Guard, Ohio State
The Bengal stay in-state with this pick and go with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson from Ohio State. Jackson has been mocked everywhere from last first round to early third round, so there's a chance that he could be available when the Bengals are on the clock in the second round.
Cincinnati needs to sure up the O-line in front of Joe Burrow. As a team, the Bengals allowed 48 sacks last season, which was tied for the seventh-most league-wide. Adding a versatile guard like Jackson could help. Jackson helped Ohio State secure the National Championship last season, and he was named a First-Team All-American after the season. He looks like a guy who could potentially come in and contribute right away.
Round 3 (No. 81 overall): Jordan Phillips, Defensive tackle, Maryland
The Bengals double-dip on the defensive line with this pick. Not only did they struggle to generate pressure on opposing passers last season, but they also struggled to stop the run. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips is a big body that can eat up space and potentially help with in the run-defense department.
Here's his scouting overview, via 33rd Team:
"Maryland Terrapins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips projects as an athletic starting nose tackle at the NFL level. This is a young talent who, as a redshirt sophomore, posted impressive tape as a point-of-attack defender with lateral range and the anchor ability to hold the point and protect his linebackers."
Sounds exactly like the type of guy the Bengals could use on the D-Line.