It's April, which means it's officially draft month! This is always one of the most exciting times of the year for fans and organizations alike as it offers the opportunity for improvement -- and optimism.
After missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2020 last season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to bounce back in 2024, and their draft strategy could potentially play a big part in that.
The Bengals enter the '24 draft with a plethora of picks -- 10 to be exact. That's more than most teams, and should give Cincinnati the chance to improve at several areas of need. It's also a lot of picks to keep track of, but we're here to help. Below you'll find a complete list of Cincinnati's 2024 picks, broken down round-by-round.
Full list of Cincinnati's picks
Round 1: No. 18 overall
Round 2: No. 49
Round 3: Nos. 80, 97
Round 4: No. 115
Round 5: No. 149
Round 6: Nos. 194, 214
Round 7: Nos. 224 (from Cardinals via Texans), 237
Takeaways
The Bengals have at least one pick in every round, but four out of Cincinnati's 10 picks come in the final two rounds of the draft. So, it will be on the front office to identify some diamonds in the rough. There's always value to be found later in the draft, but it's a matter of finding players who fit with what the franchise is looking to do.
This is a Bengals team that is built to win now around quarterback Joe Burrow, so the team will have to try to find players who they think can contribute right away, as opposed to guys who might be more of a project.
It wil also obviously be interesting to see what the Bengals decide to do with their first round pick. A lot of mock drafts have them selecting an offensive lineman, and understandably so. But, they could also look to go in a different direction. Perhaps they'll look to take a wide receiver as insurance given the likely loss of Tyler Boyd and the uncertainty surrounding Tee Higgins' future with the franchise.
With the draft just mere weeks away, the Bengals are in prime position to complement their core with some young talent at a variety of positions. Let's see what they do.