With the Cincinnati Bengals' season coming to a close, we officially know where the Stripes will be picking in the 2024 NFL Draft. Entering the day, the Bengals could have ended up with anywhere between the 13th and the 18th overall pick in the draft.
What pick will the Bengals have in the draft?
Cincinnati will own the 18th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after beating the Cleveland Browns. They finished with a 9-8 record, meaning they'll be the last non-playoff team to make their pick in the draft.
Some Bengals fans were probably rooting for the team to lose in Week 18 so that the Bengals could own a better pick. While anything can happen in the playoffs, it didn't feel too realistic for the Jake Browning-led Bengals to make it far so this was their chance to get a better draft pick and add someone lethal to their team.
As Andrew Russell noted on X, there's a big difference between owning a top-15 pick and the 18th pick. He even breaks down what the Bengals could have potentially gotten with each pick.
There’s a HUGE difference between picking 10-12 vs 18th.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) January 7, 2024
10-12: shot at top IDL, OL, top WR
18th: probably CB, EDGE rusher, maybe WR.
It’s the draft, so nothing is guaranteed. But it is indeed a big deal. https://t.co/OrvynkMorP
If the Bengals end up losing Tee Higgins and/or Tyler Boyd, a wide receiver could be in play for them in the first round. Maybe they'll opt to add someone to the trenches, as their offensive and defensive lines both disappointed this season. Perhaps they'll continue adding help to their young secondary.
The draft is three and a half months away but at least now we know where exactly the Bengals will be picking. Pick 18 here we come.