Bengals replace key secondary starter with Georgia safety in 2027 mock draft

The Cincinnati Bengals haven’t yet kicked off the 2026 NFL season. Nevertheless, that will not stop us from looking ahead to next offseason, as college scouting never stops. 

As we bask in the afterglow of what this offseason brought us rookies who we hope will be future starters, including an heir apparent at center and a second-round pass rusher who can actually rush the passer (imagine that), we can’t help but be a little bit excited for what next year’s crop will bear fruit. 

We are in luck in that department, as we have just received one of the first national mock drafts that reveals what direction the Men in Stripes could go in the 2027 NFL Draft. And this one has the Bengals attacking the defense despite the massive overhaul to that side of the ball this offseason. 

With the 23rd overall pick…

ESPN’s draft analyst Jordan Reid recently released his “preseason first-round predictions” in a 2027 mock draft. But before diving into who, let’s examine the where. 

Reid has the Bengals picking 23rd in next year’s college talent acquisition exercise. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles held the 23rd pick, finished 11-6, and lost in the Wild Card round.  

Hopefully, after the offseason the Bengals pulled off, they will finish with a better regular-season record. Even if Cincinnati finishes with the same record, we expect the postseason run to be much longer than Philly’s one-and-done. 

The Cincinnati Bengals select…

With the 23rd pick, Reid has the Bengals selecting Georgia safety KJ Bolden. Of this selection, Reid emphasizes Cincinnati’s secondary contracts, noting, “The Bengals are facing a secondary conundrum, with Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, and Jordan Battle each entering the final year of their contracts. It's fair to assume at least one of them will be elsewhere next season, so defensive back could be the play.”

The expectation is that the Bengals will get a deal done with DJ Turner first, then Hill. With those two, along with Chase Brown, as the priorities, the front office could be in the market for another starting safety. In which case, this pick makes sense.

Reid’s initial scouting report on Bolden says, “Bolden is a jack-of-all-trades for Georgia, but his best NFL outlook is as a center-field safety who can roam the back end. He has a slight frame (6 feet, 180 pounds), but he is still a willing downhill player and physical tackler.”

Last season, Bolden amassed 76 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and five passes defended. He is the second safety drafted off Reid’s board behind Notre Dame’s Brauntae Johnson.

Bengals have other contract messes brewing

The secondary isn't the only critical position with multiple players entering the final year of their contracts. The offensive line will also need some love next offseason. Cincinnati has two starters up front, center Ted Karras and guard Dalton Risner, who could be heading into their final season in stripes. 

The hope is that the team already has Karras’ and Risner’s heir apparents on the roster after drafting rookies Connor Lew and Brian Parker II. But we will not know what the team has in those two unless unforeseen circumstances force them into action this season. 

Furthermore, questions surround how well starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will hold up this season after a few worrisome snaps in offseason practice and preseason action. 

If Lew and Parker show they can take over next year, that would be great. However, the best player available on the board could be an offensive lineman. 

Even if the best-case scenario occurs with Lew and Parker proving worthy, those are still only two answers for three potential question marks along the offensive line heading into next year’s draft. 

Another option is to attack the offensive line next offseason with as much fervor as they did with th the defensive line this offseason. But that would require using a first-round pick to address the possible needs.

Cincinnati’s starting running back, Chase Brown, also does not have a contract beyond the 2026 season. If the Bengals are picking towards the end of Day 1, a do-it-all back could be necessary in the first round. 

Bengals backed themselves into a 2027 contract corner

The Bengals have backed themselves into a corner by not addressing contract extensions for so many starters, including Jordan Battle, whom Reid has Cincinnati replacing with Bolden.

Normally, we wouldn’t put much stock in a mock draft this far out. However, Bolden is an intriguing prospect for the Bengals and is worth monitoring throughout the college football season. 

And if a starting safety next to Bryan Cook is our biggest concern heading into next year’s draft, then that will be a good problem to have. However, we do not believe that will be the case.

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