Bengals just drafted perfect Ted Karras successor after savvy trade down

The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2026 NFL Draft with clear needs on defense, but also a sneaky, lingering concern on their offensive line. Veteran center Ted Karras will a free agent next offseason, and the Bengals waived his backup, Matt Lee, mere weeks before the draft.

After addressing the defense with second-round Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell and lengthy Washington cornerback Tacario Davis to cap off Day 2, the Bengals landed an awesome Karras contingency plan in Round 4.

Duke Tobin rolled the dice by trading down from No. 110 to No. 128 in a deal with the New York Jets. A couple excellent centers on the board. Both were there when Cincinnati went back on the clock. Tobin and Co. capitalized by selecting Auburn center Connor Lew.

Bengals start off Day 3 of NFL Draft with masterstroke trade & pick Auburn C Connor Lew at No. 128 overall

Somebody may or may not have called this pick mere hours ago. You absolutely love to see it.

The obvious next pick after Davis was targeting a center, because come on, figuring out who'll snap the ball to Joe Burrow for the remainder of his prime is kind of a big deal.

To their credit, Cincinnati's scouting department did the proper due diligence on centers. Many fans were up in arms over the decision to let Lee loose so close to the draft. Nice to know there was a master plan at play!

Although he's coming off a torn ACL, Lew isn't someone who'll be counted on to start right away. He's the clear heir apparent to the 33-year-old Karras.

As long as Lew comes back OK from his knee injury — and the Bengals spending this pick suggest they're comfortable with his medical profile — he should be a future starter. Lew is an excellent athlete who continues the trend of Cincinnati adding upper-echelon athletes to the offensive trenches.

Karras has never been a great athlete by NFL standards. He's more of a cerebral, sturdy vet who Burrow has grown to rely on.

It's a harsh reality, but Karras is indeed nearing the end of his career. As the wear and tear keeps piling up, he'll have an increasingly difficult time holding down his spot. Lew has the blend of youth, physical tools, and pass blocking prowess to be the Bengals' center of the future.

We love us some Ted Karras in Who Dey Land. I hope he balls out and keeps Lew on the bench beyond 2026. However, this was the perfect time and stage of the draft for Cincinnati to invest in the future of a low-key vital position.

Giving up the last of their sixth-round picks at No. 199 to score Lew, and nab the last pick in the fourth round at No. 140, was a legitimate masterclass in shopping for draft value. Well done, Bengals! WHO DEY!!

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