Cincinnati made a move and went with a player on each side of the ball on Friday night. Both players should contribute to the Bengals in 2019
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and losers from Bengals’ selections in Rounds 2 and 3New
Womens Vontaze Burfict Jersey ,131commentsCincinnati made a move and went with a player on each side of the ball on Friday night. Both players should
contribute to the Bengals in 2019 in varying degrees.
EDTShareTweetShareShareWinners and losers from Bengals’ selections in Rounds 2
and 3Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY SportsYou have to give the Cincinnati Bengals
credit—they are keeping things interesting in the 2019 NFL Draft. After grabbing
arguably the best tackle in the first round, Cincinnati made a trademark move
back in the second round and collected more picks. There are some polarizing
opinions on the two picks the team made on Friday night, but Cincinnati brought
in players who could see significant 2019 snaps on both sides of the ball. What
do the picks of Drew Sample and Germaine Pratt mean for the Bengals, their
players and coaches?WinnersAndy Dalton: The Bengals’ incumbent starter won on
two different levels on Friday. First, Cincinnati could have had a shot at a
quarterback like Drew Lock, but passed, seemingly cementing any doubt that No.
14 is their guy in 2019. Second, and more importantly, the team loaded up on
more blockers to keep Dalton comfortable in a critical year in his career. After
going with offensive tackle Jonah Williams in the first round, Zac Taylor
grabbed tight end Drew Sample in the second. Sample is a guy who could help back
up both C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Eifert at tight end, while also potentially
helping out as an H-Back option. Brian Callahan: Despite Sample being labeled as
a bit of a reach, the first-time offensive coordinator has to be pleased that
the team went with two players for his unit in their first two picks. Cincinnati
is adopting a version of the Rams’ play-action offense, so Williams and Sample
both seem to fit that system. Opinions vary on the level of need at tight end,
but as mentioned above, Sample could be moved around a bit. The pressure is on
Callahan to build off of Taylor’s innovative ideas
Jordan Willis Jersey , but the Bengals have set him up nicely early in the draft. Joe Mixon: The Bengals seem to be committing to the run. Los Angeles
loved using Todd Gurley in a number of ways, and it seems as if Taylor believes
Mixon can do quite a bit of the same as the Rams’ workhorse. Mixon is coming off
of a 1,000-yard rushing season and should continue to build on it, given the
Bengals’ commitment to rebuilding/restocking the offensive line this year. Both
Williams and Sample should open more holes for the third-year back. Preston
Brown: Oddly enough, one could put Brown in the “losers” as Germaine Pratt is
technically an inside linebacker, but first blushes have the Bengals using their
new rookie on the outside. Lou Anarumo will likely mix things up schematically,
but both Brown and Pratt should play often. Brown signed a big three-year, $21
million deal this offseason, but won’t play more than two downs in a given
series. While Pratt has some limitations as well, both guys should play off of
each other well in the new system. Tem Lukabu: The new linebackers coach seems
to really like Pratt. After the team drafted him, Lukabu said that Pratt is
“mature beyond his years”. We’ll see if that translates to on-field production,
but for the time-being, the defensive staff thinks they have a guy who can
contribute for a long time. Mike Brown: Let’s reach for one here. The Bengals’
owner has a dubious reputation for allowing troubled players multiple chances on
his roster. After Taylor was hired, the rookie head coach preached “character”
in his opening pressers. The first three picks of this class all exude
high-character traits in various forms, so Brown and Taylor are sticking to
their word when it comes to the rookies. LosersThe fans: Who Dey Nation is a
tough crowd to please. So
Womens Vincent Rey Jersey , when some of the common names aren’t called and/or a supposed reach is made, they swarm like hungry sharks. Cincinnati
faithful were particularly displeased with Sample, and for some solid reasons,
butthe Bengals are asking us to have faith in their process and this new staff.
It’s a big ask, given the lack of success from this franchise. Jordan Evans,
Vinny Rey and Hardy Nickerson, Jr.: Common sense tells us that Rey, a Marvin
Lewis staple, won’t be back with the team now that Pratt is in the fold. The
embattled Nickerson, who was pressed into extensive 2018 action because of
injuries, seems to also be on the outside looking in, as Brown mans the middle
and Pratt being movable in the scheme. Evans may still have a spot on the
roster, but he has an uphill battle. This is especially the case if the Bengals
use another one of their 10 Day 3 picks at linebacker. Cethan Carter: Last
year’s undrafted free agent wasn’t likely to make the roster this year, but if
he showed something as a versatile H-Back, he may have found a niche in Taylor’s
new offense. However
Shawn Williams Jersey White , with Sample coming in the fold, he will be undoubtedly be used in multiple spots—both to utilize him to the second-round
pick’s strengths and to maximize roster spots. Carter is probably on the outside
looking in from that standpoint. Zac Taylor was the quarterbacks coach for the
Rams last season, but the pathetic performance by the Rams’ offense in Super
Bowl LIII hasn’t put him in a gloomy mood over the last week.Taylor officially
became the Bengals’ head coach shortly after the Super Bowl, and he told Peter
King in that he simply hasn’t had time to think about what went wrong for the
Rams against the Patriots.“I haven’t had a chance to process it, quite
honestly,” Taylor said. “There just hasn’t been time. I haven’t watched the
game. Honestly, I’m conflicted. It’s devastating to work so hard to get to the
championship game, and for your entire team to pour everything they’ve got into
it, and then to lose like that.“But five or six hours after the game, I’m on a
plane to Cincinnati, on the way to fulfill a dream I’ve had for so long—to be a
head coach in the NFL. And then your brain goes there. It’s just … it’s just the
way it is, and you’ve got to turn the page.”It’s the reality of the coaching
business that Taylor and new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who went straight
from the Patriots’ staff in the Super Bowl to the Miami job, simply don’t have a
moment to think about what happened in the Super Bowl. They have higher
priorities now.
