Bengals add to their trenches in NFL.com mock draft

The Cincinnati Bengals hold the 28th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and they can go in a variety of directions position-wise. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com released his first mock draft of the offseason and linked the stripes to Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey.

"Let's step outside of the box here. Kancey is right at 280 pounds but is ridiculously explosive with A+ rush talent. He can't play every down, but he can impact games from the interior."

- Lance Zierlein

It's no secret that the Bengals need help in the trenches and Kancey would give them a tremendous talent for their defensive line. He had seven sacks during the 2022 season and while Zierlein notes that he won't play every down, the Bengals wouldn't need him to.

Bengals select Calijah Kancey in mock draft

The starting defensive line will remain intact next season but the team clearly needs depth. Kancey would give them just that. He's an interior defensive lineman who can get after the quarterback and put that on full display during his final two seasons at Pitt.

While Kancey would be a great fit for the Bengals, the Pitt product is flying up draft boards so I'm not sure he'll be available late in the first round. People on Twitter are drooling over him and for good reason.

Most people are focused on the Bengals taking an offensive tackle or even a tight end in the first round but drafting help on the defensive line and adding to the pass-rushing department makes sense too. The Bengals finished the season with the fourth-fewest sacks in the league so adding help at pass rush is a smart move.

What do you think, Bengals fans? Do you approve of this move or would you want to see the team go in another direction?