BengalFanInTO

I went Bush at #11 for the reasons others have given, mainly associated with the depth available at LB compared to Offensive Line. My current ranking for ideal picks in the 1st are: 1. Devin White 2. Jawaan Taylor 3. Devin Bush 4. Andre Dillard 5. Jonah Williams With White and Taylor likely gone by #11, I go Bush.

I typically have a few players that fall in the "hate" category. Sadly they've taken some in past years (Ross, Ogbuehi, Kirkpatrick, Pollack, Perry and the grand-daddy of them all, Akili Smith). This year, there aren't any specific players. I want an OT or LB in the first (my "dream" pick is Devin White). I have even warmed to the concept of a QB, DE, TE or DT if the right guy is there. What do I not want/what would I hate? A project. An injury case. A combine hero. A one year wonder. The Bengals need legit talent with proven multi-year production in college. Football players that are NFL ready and can make a significant and immediate impact. Take the BPA, try to fill as many holes as possible and let's see what this team can do under Taylor in 2019.

I would be totally fine with Andre Dillard. The Bengals sorely need help at OT. The best OT or LB in Round 1 and I am good.

I was going to mention this. Their announced pre-draft visits seem to really be focusing on DE. I'm rarely going to complain about adding a player on either line but it would be surprising considering the high level of need on the offensive line and at LB to see them go elsewhere early. I guess when you have the worst defense in the league, an impact player can only be a good thing. If they draft a DE in the first, I just hope he's learned the art of sacking a QB gently.

I'd be momentarily intrigued by taking Montez Sweat or Rashan Gary before locking in my pick of Andre Dillard.

The Bengals/Bills desire to sign and/or trade for each other's players is becoming borderline incestuous.

4 years at $54 million? It would have been a brief call for me too. Guy has averaged 11 games per season over his career.

And finally, the third member of the Unholy Triumvirate (Hill & Jones) from the ill-fated playoff debacle of January 9, 2016 is gone. Vontaze Burfict joins Chris Henry and Odell Thurman as one of the most polarizing Bengals of the past two decades. What could have been will never be known.

Agreed. I have not seen anything official or unofficial for that matter about the length or value of the contract. Hobson likely has a pretty good idea so I am starting to think it's going to be a one year deal.

Vontaze Burfict and Antonio Brown on the same team...classic!

This had to happen. The guy is unreliable and has turned in to hot garbage. The game against the Chiefs was embarrassing. I can't figure out why they wouldn't make a more significant move in free agency at the position though.

The Bills and Bengals sure seem to enjoy picking up each other's players. I guess we owed them one from the whole Russell Bodine thing...

OK...now this is definitely Geoff Hobson posting. The Bengals are the only team I know that consistently says they can't spend money this year because they have to sign guys who are free agents next year. AJ Green has a cap hit of $15 million this year. How much higher is that going to get in 2019 even if they re-sign him? Boyd and Boling are the only other guys worth anything. Vigil, Billings and Hopkins impacting the dollars? Come on man. This is the same old shit they do every year.

When I started reading your post, I thought I was reading a Geoff Hobson article. Ja'Wuan James and Jordan Hicks would have made this team much better at areas of glaring weakness. Their combined cap hit this year on their respective teams is $14 million. The Bengals entered free agency with $53 million in available cap space in 2019. They couldn't have spent this kind of money on these guys? After they count Preston Brown's contract, they're still going to have about $35 million left. Whose that money for? Retreads and subpar talents that aren't going to help a lick. I'm usually a build through the draft kind of guy but this was the year the Bengals needed to sign a few difference makers and as usual, they were standing around with their dicks in their hands. I can only imagine how guys like Geno Atkins and AJ Green are feeling right now.