When 2023 came to a close, so did the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of making the playoffs. It'll be weird not seeing the Stripes compete in the postseason but injuries, defensive woes, and just bad luck in general got them to this point.
Now that the Bengals are officially eliminated from playoff contention, we can turn our full attention to the 2024 NFL Draft. Where will the Bengals be picking in this year's draft?
What pick do the Bengals have in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Cincinnati currently owns the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, according to CBS Sports. CBS Sports lists the biggest needs for the Bengals in the draft as any position along the offensive line, defensive tackle, and wide receiver. They won't have a pick higher than 18 due to not making the playoffs.
The offensive line continued to be an issue for the Bengals in 2023 despite them taking huge strides to improve the unit. Jonah Williams will be a free agent so that frees up the right tackle spot. Perhaps the Bengals go with an in-house name but they should try to take advantage of having a higher draft pick than usual and nab the best possible offensive lineman on the board.
The Bengals could also lose D.J. Reader in free agency and even if they were to retain him, he suffered a season-ending quad injury near the end of the regular season. Who's to say if he'll even be the same player he was before the injury? Defensive tackle would be a big need even with Reader returning, as the Bengals simply need to be better in the trenches in 2024 or the same problems from this season are going to pop up again.
Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd could also be on their way out when free agency kicks off in March. With the Bengals not really knowing what they have in Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas, adding another fiery weapon to their offense is never going to be a bad move.