I put some of this in BJ's other thread, but I figured it needs its own thread.

Right about the middle of the pack when it comes to consensus grades, if anybody cares

At The Athletic, Brugler rated our class 24th overall, behind the other AFCN teams.

After the Lawrence trade, the Bengals had less draft capital value than any other team in the league. So middle of the pack is about the best you could realistically hope for.

The Bengals seem to have drafted backup caliber players, even on day two. If we had a great roster with no holes going into the draft, that would be ok. As it is, we limited ourselves in free agency so we had needs for starters going into the draft and didn't get any.

B grade seems about right, as a class. Think I say this every year but there's really nothing to grade them on yet. Ask again after the season.

Draft grades are dumb in general. Especially this year with the Lawrence trade and no first round pick. They addressed needs at edge, CB, and IOL. The failure to draft a LB was a surprise. They traded down in the 4th round and ended up acquiring a WR who might replace the current #3. We’ll see how it plays out in the next couple years.

2 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Draft grades are dumb in general. Especially this year with the Lawrence trade and no first round pick. They addressed needs at edge, CB, and IOL. The failure to draft a LB was a surprise. They traded down in the 4th round and ended up acquiring a WR who might replace the current #3. We’ll see how it plays out in the next couple years.

I wasn't surprised with not taking a LB. 90% of the problem with the LB group last year was instability & the coaches (or whoever) putting them in a position to fail. Rarely was it a lack of athleticism or anything physical that could be improved upon, they simply did not know what they were doing - at least not quickly enough to do it. Another rookie won't fix those issues, it would just be starting over from scratch.

I also won't be surprised if the team keeps trying to talk themselves out of the problem & pretending they're doing great. The ol' Dennis "Technically, our best lineman" Roland special. Nor would it surprise me if they bring in some backup/ST-tier vet LB and have Hobson talk him up like he's Dick Butkus. Or they might yet sign a decent vet that can actually fill that leadership role and not be a bunch of bullshit.

What I do know is that, whatever they do, they will act like it's working out perfectly no matter the results.

5 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

I wasn't surprised with not taking a LB. 90% of the problem with the LB group last year was instability & the coaches (or whoever) putting them in a position to fail. Rarely was it a lack of athleticism or anything physical that could be improved upon, they simply did not know what they were doing - at least not quickly enough to do it. Another rookie won't fix those issues, it would just be starting over from scratch.

I also won't be surprised if the team keeps trying to talk themselves out of the problem & pretending they're doing great. The ol' Dennis "Technically, our best lineman" Roland special. Nor would it surprise me if they bring in some backup/ST-tier vet LB and have Hobson talk him up like he's Dick Butkus.

I think it was surprising given that LB was listed as a need by just about everyone heading into the draft. That said, I believe that they are planning on acquiring a veteran LB as many others have also speculated. It could be a free agent, a trade, or a player who gets cut. The team has been consistent in saying they believe Knight and Carter will benefit from last season’s experience in the long run. It’s hard to imagine it will be worse, especially with better players up front.

2 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I think it was surprising given that LB was listed as a need by just about everyone heading into the draft. That said, I believe that they are planning on acquiring a veteran LB as many others have also speculated. It could be a free agent, a trade, or a player who gets cut. The team has been consistent in saying they believe Knight and Carter will benefit from last season’s experience in the long run. It’s hard to imagine it will be worse, especially with better players up front.

Well yeah, y'know.. If someone hired me to run a nuclear power plant and let me fuck around for a year, somehow without killing myself, I'm sure I would benefit from the experience but I still shouldn't be in charge of a nuclear power plant. If that reactor suffered a meltdown with me at the helm I would think someone would waste no time in replacing me with a person that had demonstrated an ability to do the job.. If said person was more interested in having a functional power plant over validating their foolish decision to hire me in the first place.

In other words that'd be great if Barret Carter learns to be a good NFL LB but I'm much more interested in the Bengals defense not being dogshit. One is not actually dependent on the other, regardless of the happytalk coming from Duke Tobin.

13 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Well yeah, y'know.. If someone hired me to run a nuclear power plant and let me fuck around for a year, somehow without killing myself, I'm sure I would benefit from the experience but I still shouldn't be in charge of a nuclear power plant. If that reactor suffered a meltdown with me at the helm I would think someone would waste no time in replacing me with a person that had demonstrated an ability to do the job.. If said person was more interested in having a functional power plant over validating their foolish decision to hire me in the first place.

In other words that'd be great if Barret Carter learns to be a good NFL LB but I'm much more interested in the Bengals defense not being dogshit. One is not actually dependent on the other, regardless of the happytalk coming from Duke Tobin.

Players do improve after their rookie seasons. I know, it sounds crazy but it is possible, especially with a better supporting cast around them. Either way, I expect we’ll see a veteran added at some point. A rookie would have been nice, too.

7 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Players do improve after their rookie seasons. I know, it sounds crazy but it is possible, especially with a better supporting cast around them. Either way, I expect we’ll see a veteran added at some point. A rookie would have been nice, too.

Of course they do, but that doesn't mean they'll be any good... An improvement over comically, historically bad does not equal winning football.. being my point.

The 2nd-year LB's can improve and the Bengals can also hire a veteran LB they know is capable of playing the position. One does not preclude the other, nor should it if the goal is winning games. Why bet the season on Barret Carter?

17 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Of course they do, but that doesn't mean they'll be any good... An improvement over comically, historically bad does not equal winning football.. being my point.

The 2nd-year LB's can improve and the Bengals can also hire a veteran LB they know is capable of playing the position. One does not preclude the other, nor should it if the goal is winning games. Why bet the season on Barret Carter?

They’re not betting the season on Carter any more than they bet on Logan Wilson or Pratt after their rookie seasons. And there was plenty of blame to go around for that historically bad defensive performance, not just the rookie linebackers.

Just now, Inigo Montoya said:

They’re not betting the season on Carter any more than they bet on Logan Wilson or Pratt after their rookie seasons. And there was plenty of blame to go around for that historically bad defensive performance, not just the rookie linebackers.

No question they were pretty shit all-around but LB is the one group they've done nothing to improve. I thought they intended to do something about that post-draft but after listening to Duke yap I'm not so certain.

8 hours ago, T-Dub said:

No question they were pretty shit all-around but LB is the one group they've done nothing to improve. I thought they intended to do something about that post-draft but after listening to Duke yap I'm not so certain.

Still go with waiting for cuts and cap casualties, some team trying to fly someone under the radar and we snipe him.

It ain't over until Connor Lew's girlfriend sings. 🥷

As far as Cleveland and the draft... doesn't matter a bit because

they don't have a quarterback.

The Athletic: The Bengals had one player show up among the draft's biggest values; had no players on the over-drafted list:

Late-Round Values of 2026 NFL Draft

These are the Costco combos of the 2026 class, the prospects nabbed for less than their projected value:

What happened here? Either the consensus was wrong, the public is unaware of something important (like medicals) or teams missed on talented prospects.

It’s often that last part. The consensus has been right about as often as NFL teams have. A quick look back at 2025’s biggest steals confirms this. Nick Emmanwori slipped 13 spots into the second round, then won a Super Bowl and nearly won Defensive Rookie of the Year. That’s just one example.

On 4/28/2026 at 4:34 PM, sparky151 said:

The Bengals seem to have drafted backup caliber players, even on day two. If we had a great roster with no holes going into the draft, that would be ok. As it is, we limited ourselves in free agency so we had needs for starters going into the draft and didn't get any.

the only position you could possibly be talking about is LB. and the defense uses 2 linebackers, at least according to the depth chart.

and we do have two starters there and burks as a vet rotation and package guy. minimal; depth. not the most exciting group, but some group has to be the weakest group. ours will be linebacker, and the improvements behind and in front of them are HUUUUUUUGGGEEEEEEEE improvements... their lives and roles got easier and simplified. they should be well improved themselves.

safety has 3 starting or rotation guys for 2 spots

DT has 5 guys to start and rotate 2 spots

DE has 4 guys for starting and rotation guys/packages

corner has 2 starters for two starting spots and or a third they just drafted or newton ivey davis, and not the draft pick added into the mix.

tackels have two starters

guards have two starters

center is good

qb all set

all 3 WR are set

TE is set.

what are you talking about?

.... its not 2003, and there are 11 guys taking 90% of the snaps, teams are built for packages and keeping guys fresh with rotation. so, IMO, even the premise youre complaining about is one that barely exists.

you had 2 day-2 picks, and both will be playing plenty of snaps and packages and rotation...

im not sure what you were expecting.. a new 2nd round LB to replace the current 2nd round LB? i guess you can add rodriguez instead of howell. but a guy like howell improves every behind hims life on the field, coverage time, etc..

Been listening to draft recap stuff and the biggest storyline I’ve heard was about the run on TE on Day 2. Eight were taken including several much earlier than expected. The theory seems to be that other teams are trying to copy the Rams, who have increasingly used heavy TE sets. The result was a run on the position and multiple blocking TE being overvalued.

2 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Been listening to draft recap stuff and the biggest storyline I’ve heard was about the run on TE on Day 2. Eight were taken including several much earlier than expected. The theory seems to be that other teams are trying to copy the Rams, who have increasingly used heavy TE sets. The result was a run on the position and multiple blocking TE being overvalued.

You mean like drafting Drew Sample in the 2nd round? Glad these other teams finally caught up to our cutting edge Bengals 🥷

11 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

You mean like drafting Drew Sample in the 2nd round? Glad these other teams finally caught up to our cutting edge Bengals 🥷

His name was definitely mentioned. One analyst listed TE as the position with the worst success rate when drafted earlier than expected and Sample was his top example. It makes me happy that we got the TE in the 7th round as a potential steal rather than reaching for one on Day 2. This class was considered deep at the position, fwiw.

12 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

His name was definitely mentioned. One analyst listed TE as the position with the worst success rate when drafted earlier than expected and Sample was his top example. It makes me happy that we got the TE in the 7th round as a potential steal rather than reaching for one on Day 2. This class was considered deep at the position, fwiw.

I'd like one (1) real one on the roster that can both block and run routes at a high enough level to not get sidelined depending on what's required. Guess I should add not at heightened risk of paralysis every time they get tackled.

Carrying 6 on the roster seems excessive unless they're about to unveil Zac's super secret TE-only formation.