The talk of the offseason was whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals should franchise tag Tee Higgins. They did, and he requested a trade.
Should they trade him? Heck no. But only those in the building know the answer to that question.
It’s disappointing that Cincinnati finished last in the AFC North, and to make matters worse, they went 1-5 in divisional contests. But they’ve made moves in free agency.
The Bengals don’t need an overhaul—they need a retooling. They have a healthy amount of cap space ($28.9M, seventh-most) to continue to tweak this roster through and into the draft.
Bengals NFL Draft Picks 2024
- Round 1, Pick 18
- Round 2, Pick 49
- Round 3, Pick 80
- Round 3, Pick 97
- Round 4, Pick 115
- Round 5, Pick 149
- Round 6, Pick 194
- Round 6, Pick 214
- Round 7, Pick 224
- Round 7, Pick 237
Bengals NFL Futures Odds
Get ready for the 2024-25 NFL season with the latest Bengals odds and futures betting markets.
Bengals NFL Draft Round 1 Mock 2024
- Round 1, Pick 18: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
As of March 8, Michael Rochman says:
“Financial decisions need to be made in Cincinnati, and Jonah Williams is likely a player on his way out. Adding the powerful road-grader in JC Latham should elevate the offensive line and give the franchise a long-term stud at right tackle."
Find more draft insights in our full NFL Mock Draft 2024.
Bengals Draft Team Needs 2024
Note: The following information was written prior to the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Defensive Line
The Bengals effectively run a 3-3-5 or 3-2-6 defense, and it’ll be interesting to see how they keep Dax Hill on the field after signing Geno Stone.
The long and short of it is that they need to get better at the point of attack. Trey Hendrickson is the standout, although he is more of an edge defender than a big-bodied gap blaster, which is needed here.
Cincy could use a more dynamic end (or tackle) to blow up the interior gaps.
2. Linebacker
Logan Wilson is a fan favorite, and Germaine Pratt is a beloved glue guy. However, both could be better on the field.
There is little depth here, and given that the Bengals tend to run a lot of nickel as their base coverage, they’ve punted the position in the draft. They will snag a linebacker by Round 3.
3. Wide Receiver
Ja’Marr Chase is a beast. Along with Tee Higgins, assuming he isn’t traded, form one of the best receiver duos in the league. The issue is who is lined up behind them on the depth chart.
Trenton Irwin is penciled in at the slot, and behind him is a cavalcade of guys you’ve never heard of.
More Position Needs: Guard, Edge, Tight end, Running back
Bengals Draft Grade 2024
Grade: Coming soon
Read the evaluations in our full 2023 report card of NFL Draft Grades. 2024 grades will be published soon after the draft.
Team by Team Draft Recaps
| AFC EAST | BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ |
| AFC NORTH | BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT |
| AFC SOUTH | HOU | IND | JAC | TEN |
| AFC WEST | DEN | KC | LAC | LV |
| NFC EAST | DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS |
| NFC NORTH | CHI | DET | GB | MIN |
| NFC SOUTH | ATL | CAR | NO | TB |
| NFC WEST | ARI | LAR | SF | SEA |
Bengals NFL Draft Pick History
2023
- Round 1, Pick 28: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
- Round 2, Pick 60: DJ Turner II, CB, Michigan
- Round 3, Pick 95: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
- Round 4, Pick 131: Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
- Round 5, Pick 163: Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
- Round 6, Pick 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton
- Round 7, Pick 217: Brad Robbins, P, Michigan
- Round 7, Pick 246: D.J. Ivey, CB, Miami
2022
- Round 1, Pick 31: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
- Round 2, Pick 63: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
- Round 3, Pick 95: Zachary Carter, DE, Florida
- Round 4, Pick 136: Cordell Volson, G, North Dakota State
- Round 5, Pick 166: Tycen Anderson, S, Toledo
- Round 7, Pick 252: Jeffrey Gunter, EDGE, Coastal Carolina
