You'll seldom find any team in the NFL that has a more illogical roster-building process than the Duke Tobin-led Cincinnati Bengals.
Strategies in free agency and the draft don't match up. The organization's reputation remains hamstrung by hardball contract negotiations with Trey Hendrickson and other superstars. Contingencies and conservative tactics are deployed at an alarming rate.
It's all culminated in missing the playoffs for three straight seasons of Joe Burrow's prime. And the last pick of Tobin's latest draft class is a microcosm of that macro-dynamic I've described above.
Bengals RB Tahj Brooks is a nothing-burger pick
In the sixth round of this year's draft, Tobin selected Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks. This is in spite of the fact that Chase Brown was the clear feature back, and veteran Samaje Perine had already signed a two-year contract in March.
What was the point of spending one of only six draft picks on another running back? Make it make sense! It doesn't!
This is like when Tobin thought drafting Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter at linebacker was a good idea. Two picks in the second and fourth rounds on off-ball linebackers. With Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, and Oren Burks among others on the roster at the time.
When Brooks went off the board at Pick 193, there were a lot of other guys whothe Bengals would've loved to have. How about at Brooks' own position? Commanders standout Bill Croskey-Merritt has eight TDs in a situational role, and the Jags' LeQuint Allen is an elite pass protector.
72 YARDS 🫨
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 25, 2025
📺 #DALvsWAS Netflix pic.twitter.com/HASpAgWaXD
“LeQuint Allen is one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had. He’s the best pass-blocking running back in the NFL — and I don’t think it’s close”
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) November 16, 2025
— #Jaguars C Robert Hainsey
More from Hainsey postgame on a “Man’s Game” in #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/Z2jnCe0N0M
Should I even mention Chicago's Kyle Monangai, whose timeshare with D'Andre Swift has the Bears among the NFL's top two rushing attacks?
If Tobin wanted an actually-functional NFL linebacker, eventual Los Angeels Ram and UDFA Shaun Dolac, from the University of Buffalo, has already flashed more than Knight and Carter. On 42 snaps, Dolac has an outstanding PFF grade of 89.4. Neither Knight nor Carter will sniff that level of play on any 42-play stretch.
Oh, and Who Dey Heads everywhere know how big of a free-agent whiff Geno Stone has been at safety. Well, making matters worse, the Bengals missed on a draft gem of a safety in the Chargers' R.J. Mickens.
Not that you can expect to find a high-level starter in Round 5 all the time, but it sure helps the Bolts that Jim Harbaugh and his GM, Joe Hortiz, were just at the college level at Michigan not long ago. They have an inside track on talent evaluation. Nevertheless, Mickens is 26th in PFF's safety grades, ahead of ex-Bengal Jessie Bates (33rd), and way out in front of Stone (84th) and the other Cincinnati starter, Jordan Battle (59th).
So yeah...the Brooks pick feels like a too-far-forward-looking, arbitrary dart throw. And Duke Tobin should be called out for it. Because Brooks has done little to nothing as a rookie.