When the 2022 NFL Draft began, there was a clear offensive plan for the Cincinnati Bengals that included improving defense at all costs.
Cincinnati doesn’t typically ignore offensive positions early in the draft. They went on defense for the first three picks this year. They also usually don’t act until the fourth round. How about a trade a second to get a cornerback?
Cam Taylor-Britt and Zachary Carter are the newest Bengals and their selection has impacted the current roster. Let’s see who emerged as the winner and loser from both picks.
winner
Lou Anarumo: It’s been over 20 years since the Bengals dedicated their first three draft picks to the defensive side of the ball. Anarumo wasn’t used to receiving such an influx of young talent, but these last three rounds were for him. He now has a versatile safety, a promising cornerback and a pass-rushing defensive tackle to work with, and his unit looks pretty solid from top to bottom.
BJ Hill: It might seem odd to list the starter as the winner when their backup has just been picked, but the reality with Hill is that he can’t play every single snap. The 3 Technique requires healthy rotation and Carter’s selection should help get that started. Hill will still play most of the significant snaps for the duration of his three-year contract, but Carter gives him the opportunity to rest when he needs it.
Hayden Hurst and Drew Sample: The two tight ends most likely to be picked by the Bengals on Friday, Trey McBride and Greg Dulcich, have been picked by other clubs. Cincinnati will enter Day 3 without adding a rookie tight end to the equation, far from confirming that Hurst will be undisputed for snaps and goals in the 2022 season. He’s got the perfect storm for a hopefully successful breakout season.
Sample, as Hurst’s #2, is also a beneficiary of this news. A Day 3 rookie won’t eclipse him on the depth chart, and his role figures won’t decrease no matter what they do on Saturday.
loser
Eli Apple and Trey Flowers: Dax Hill’s selection was already bad news for Flowers, and with the addition of Taylor-Britt there’s another cornerback who will be fighting for snaps. Taylor-Britt is already ahead of Flowers in the second round due to his draft status; he’s really coming for Apple’s job.
The Bengals traded for Taylor-Britt, meaning they need a cornerback to bench or make Apple a better player. We won’t know the answer until the end of the training camp, but Apple had better prepare for a fight.
Frank Polack: At this point, a free hand seemed like the only gift Cincinnati’s offensive line coach could get. Pollack saw his team draft three offensive linemen last year and sign the same number of blockers in free agency six weeks ago. It’s not a big surprise that no O-Linemen was selected, but Pollack has to deal with uncertainties at the left guard’s position. We’ll see what he goes with as the pads move on.
Worth mentioning
Jackson Carman: Just from a pitch perspective, Carman’s job hasn’t gotten tougher since the draft started. Cincinnati chose not to invest in an offensive lineman in the first three rounds of the draft, indicating they feel good about who they have to fight for left guard spot. Carman was considered the favorite to win that job, but that was before his alleged off-field situation surfaced.