When it comes to the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals have several obvious areas of need.
They desperately need to improve the pass rush, and they also need to bolster the offensive line in front of star quarterback Joe Burrow. The secondary should also be addressed, and the team could probably use an additional running back to complement Chase Brown.
In addition to those obvious areas, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report revealed a surprising need that Cincinnati could address in the draft, and that position is wide receiver.
Could the Bengals select a wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft?
At first, it sounds silly to think that the Bengals would want, or need, to select a receiver after recently locking up both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on massive, four-year extensions. But, beyond that star duo, Cincinnati is a little thin at the position.
Andrei IoIosivas is a solid third option, but behind him there's really no one that the Bengals could rely on should one of those top three guys be forced to miss some time. Higgins, especially, has had some durability issues throughout his career.
Cincinnati selected Jermaine Burton in the third round of the draft last year to be that guy, but he hasn't panned out at all so far. So, they could look to try again this year. Here's some of what B/R had to say on the topic:
"The Bengals used up a ton of resources to secure one of the best wide receiver duos in the game. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are now going to be expected to carry an even heavier burden in the passing game. ... That doesn't mean the Bengals can just move on from improving the position, though. Cincinnati's depth at the position could quickly become an issue if Higgins has another season where he deals with nagging injuries or if Chase misses games."
Cincinnati has done little to bolster the position in free agency, so perhaps they could look to add to it through the draft, but the Bengals only have six picks in this year's draft, so they have to be judicious with their selections. Other positions of need should certainly take precedence.
Tight end Mike Gesicki's presence on the roster also needs to be taken into account, as he operates largely as a pass-catcher in Cincinnati's offensive attack -- and a productive one at that. So, his presence likely removes some urgency on Cincinnati's part when it comes to adding another receiver.
It wouldn't be shocking if the Bengals added a receiver with one of their later picks, but again, they have many more pressing needs.