The Bengals are coming off back to back seasons that consisted of a deep run in the playoffs. They unfortunately fell short in the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2021 season, and narrowly lost in the AFC Championship in this past one. The expectations, needless to say, remain high. For teams with Super Bowl aspirations, winning in the short term often takes full priority, which can be seen through things like blockbuster trades or plug and play draft picks. That said, the Bengals are in an interesting spot. Needing to soon extend guys like Burrow, Higgins, Logan Wilson, and Ja’Marr Chase, there is a decision to be made on how you construct your roster. Do you do all you can to improve the immediate roster by, for example, drafting for immediate need? Or do you balance things out, in an attempt to sustain the success over a longer period, even if it means some of the newer additions won’t be making as much of an immediate impact? Based on the last couple of drafts, it is clear that the Bengals plan to be here for the long haul, even when certain players are taking up bigger chunks of the cap hit.
Last offseason was when the reality really began to set in, that the Bengals would not be able to keep everyone in the long run. Though Jessie Bates was set to play for the team in 2022, his future beyond that was questionable at best. To prepare for his departure, the Bengals used their 1st round pick on S Daxton Hill. Barring injury, it was known that he would not be contributing much as a rookie, which isn’t always ideal for a contending team’s 1st round pick. That said, it set them up well for the future. Looking at things now, Bates is an Atlanta Falcon, and they have Hill ready to step right in.
The Bengals made their 1st round pick in 2022 with eye to the future, but did not stop there. Their 2nd round pick was similar. They picked Cam Taylor-Britt with that selection. A CB that was raw, but full of upside. Like with S, the Bengals had their starters at CB set, meaning Taylor-Britt would not see a lot of playing time, barring injury. Now, Chidobe Awuzie did end up getting hurt, forcing Taylor-Britt into seeing more action as a rookie than anticipated. But the point remains, that he wasn’t originally slated to see much playing time, despite the Bengals looking to contend for a Super Bowl.
Moving ahead to the 2023 draft, a lot of the same arguments can be made for the Bengals early round selections. For Myles Murphy, contrary arguments could also be made, such as it being a “BPA” pick, or one that addresses the need for pass rush help. But on the other hand, you could say that the pass rush need is much more urgent from the interior. Meanwhile, the Bengals depth on the edge is quite good, with Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, and Joseph Ossai. With that in mind, the assumption is that Murphy won’t have more than a rotational role as a rookie. Perhaps he was drafted as the potential replacement for Trey Hendrickson. When Burrow and co. receive their contract extensions, the Bengals won’t be able to keep everyone. Hendrickson is under contract for 2 more seasons, and can be cut with little dead money after this upcoming one. Having Murphy gives the Bengals some more flexibility, and a ready replacement, should their cap situation force them into moving on from Hendrickson.
Cincinnati’s 2nd round selection in this year’s draft points heavily towards a futuristic mindset. DJ Turner is a talented CB prospect, but like the others, injury is his only path to regular snaps, outside of special teams. Looking ahead, Chidobe Awuzie is a free agent after this season, and if his play picks up where it left off before his injury, he is in line for a hefty raise. One the Bengals likely won’t be able to afford. With this possibility in mind, the Bengals now have someone on hand who can take over on the boundary, should Awuzie walk after this season. Though this possibility is more unlikely, Turner is also someone who could replace Hilton in the slot, should they choose to keep Awuzie. Either way, the pick gives the Bengals a lot of options in the future, when tough decisions will have to be made.
Though the Bengals have been Super Bowl contenders these past few seasons, it is clear that they are not putting all of their eggs in one basket, and are hoping to be able to sustain their success over an extended period of time. Big pay raises for some of the star players, like Burrow and Chase, are inevitable. This means that tough decisions on other key pieces will have to be made. It is likely that some of them will be lost, but with the Bengals futuristic approach to their recent drafts, they now have set themselves up for a much easier transition into the next generation. Many potential replacements are now already on the roster, developing their game for when the time comes for them to take over.
