NFL Draft month is upon us, which means teams will be spouting buzzwords about best player available, scheme fit and playmakers on draft weekend.
Perhaps more than any regarding team performance, you’ll hear about wants and needs.
Every team wants certain types of players or positions filled, of course. The difference between teams drafting from a position of power and those more likely to make uncomfortable reaches is the ratio of wants to needs.
The Cincinnati Bengals have needs; Many of them.
The Bengals, once again, enter draft weekend holding a laundry list of immediate contributors they must find following a free agency period that started with a flurry, then faded.
Understanding what the Bengals are seeking will set the foundation for understanding the paths, options and players most likely to be targeted April 22-24.
Everyone with eyes and an Internet connection knows the Bengals are looking for defense, first and foremost. The quest to replenish a group that allowed the most touchdowns and points in franchise history will continue with heavy emphasis during the early rounds.
In terms of what specifically is left, however, it’s important to specify what the Bengals most need to accomplish with their eight picks.
With the latest round of supplemental additions (Joe Flacco, Kyle Duggar and Ja’Sir Taylor) signed, here’s my view of the Bengals’ spectrum of needs to wants at specific positions and the reason why.
Needs
1. Cornerback/slot/star position
This spot is the most necessary to fill for the short and long term. That might seem a surprise considering the strength of starting corners DJ Turner and Dax Hill. But the lack of dependability around them and incoming extension negotiations tells a more pressing story.
The slot cornerback position might be the lone starting spot on the depth chart that lacks an obvious answer. Jalen Davis and now Taylor hold down temporary residence, but they are looking to upgrade to a position that became the talk of the NFL last season for defensive chess pieces.
Also, Hill’s flexibility to move inside if necessary opens up the chance to draft an outside corner and still put him on the field immediately. Finally, the Bengals have a challenge in trying to sign Turner and Hill long-term and a history of not spending on two players at that same position (Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are rare outliers).
Dax Hill could move to slot and allow the Bengals to draft an outside cornerback with their top pick, with the intention of playing the rookie immediately. (Sam Greene / Imagn Images)
Using pick No. 10 on LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy and signing Turner long term before letting Hill walk would be a page out of the Bengals’ history book. In 2010, they kept Leon Hall and let Johnathan Joseph move on. In 2013, they signed Carlos Dunlap and watched Michael Johnson go to Tampa Bay. From 2012 to 2016, they drafted first-round corners three times to sit behind existing starters on expiring contracts (Dre Kirkpatrick, Darqueze Dennard, William Jackson III). Plus, Higgins and Chase appeared destined to go in the direction before unique circumstances of sharing the same agent put those deals back on track in March 2025.
Point being, the Bengals have a history of prioritizing this type of situation early in the draft and need a quality fill at a premium position in early rounds with talent that fits their draft spot. This sits at the top of the list.
2. Pass rusher
Say what you will about the need for more pass rush — and Cincinnati needs much more of it — the Bengals have three edge rushers they have invested significant capital in and plan on supporting in Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart. Each is under contract for at least two more years.
Those three are going nowhere. They aren’t being demoted or deprioritized. They are the answers at edge. Another player can, and likely will, be added to the mix, but in terms of priority, that doesn’t surpass the needs lacking at corner.
Toss three-technique into this mix because there’s still a need to solidify the future and add another wave at that spot, but they do have two starters already in place there with Jonathan Allen and B.J. Hill, both 31 years old.
Recently, the Bengals’ largest investments came on the defensive line, in free agency and the draft. There is little reason to think that trend wouldn’t still be emphasized this year, so it stays near the top.
3. Linebacker
Oh, linebacker, a position screaming out for help and coming away with nothing, much like most Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight tackle attempts in the first half of last season. Cincinnati needs a player to add necessary depth and competition for Carter and Knight. Even if the Bengals prefer to rely on Carter and Knight’s development, risky but not crazy, the lack of pedigree surrounding them is startling.
The position is not premium, and the Bengals don’t technically need a starter, so it creeps down the list of importance. However, this undeniably looks like a position where the Bengals must leave the fourth round knowing they have at least one linebacker to add to that group.
How early could this happen? If Sonny Styles slips to No. 10, the Bengals would run to the podium. Remember, though, Cincinnati hasn’t selected a linebacker in the first round since Keith Rivers in 2008.
4. Swing offensive tackle
As of now, Cody Ford would serve as the first tackle off the bench should injury occur with Amarius Mims and Orlando Brown Jr., both of whom have missed time in the last two years because of injury. That’s concerning. Ford was applauded for his versatility during the 2024 season, but failed to win the starting guard job last year.
Ford was switched to tackle midstream in the early portion of last season and was barely needed with Brown and Mims taking nearly every snap. He did have one of the most memorable plays of the season with his 21-yard catch-and-run, but the Bengals probably won’t be asking him to do that again. They will be asking somebody to protect Joe Burrow, the most important job on the roster.
They must find an upgrade and plan for the future at that spot. It’s understandable not to use a first-round pick on a tackle with Brown and Mims under contract for multiple years, but this position becomes a real option the moment the second round begins. There are a few free-agent tackles still available should Cincinnati strike out at the position in the draft, but not many. Ideally, one of the first four picks is a tackle with upside to develop into a starter down the line.
Wants
This marks an important line of demarcation in the Bengals’ draft plan. Here’s where the tier shifts from needs to wants. The Bengals can get by from this point forward without checking these boxes, but the fallout wouldn’t be as significant as missing on the top four.
5. Nose tackle
This draft offers an abundance of big-bodied nose tackles capable of stopping the run, with the opportunity to develop as a pass rusher. T.J. Slaton was fine last year, but he doesn’t offer much from a pass-rushing perspective. His backup, 2024 third-round pick McKinnley Jackson, failed to develop in two seasons. Adding one of these players would provide depth and upgrade the position, solidifying an important role on defense while ultilizing a strength in this draft.
6. Wide receiver
The Bengals need another Andrei Iosivas. There’s a great chance for a deep draft at the position to match with Iosivas’ original draft round in 2023 (sixth round, No. 206). It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bengals take a chance on another project and drop them into one of the most talented position groups in the NFL. They are looking for a skill set like Jermaine Burton possessed on the field (deep threat, speed, great hands) with none of the trouble off of it. There’s a path to finding a developmental version of that on Day 3.
The Bengals have one of the top receiver tandems in Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, but could use more quality depth in their receiver corps. (Cara Owsley / Imagn Images)
7. Another cornerback
The position calls for more than just one addition. Taking a second swipe at cornerback shouldn’t surprise anyone, given the need for depth in that group. That might mean an outside corner in the first and a slot corner later in the draft, but it’s easy to see two rookie corners on the opening day roster.
8. Tight end
This need comes as much because of the almost unprecedented depth at the tight end position on Day 3 as it does a positional need. The Bengals have four tight ends in place, but all are either in the last year of their contracts or present other concerns. The Bengals could use another versatile tight end with high-end traits to put into the system and see what position coach James Casey can get out of them.
Honorable mention:
• Interior offensive line: Another swing at a potential Ted Karras heir apparent?
• Safety: The top three spots are taken, but room for a fourth with upside and special teams acumen.
• Quarterback: A late-round pick could make sense for a developmental quarterback on the practice squad with hopes of developing into a future backup.
• Running back: There’s uncertainty regarding the future of the position (will Chase Brown earn an extension?), but last year’s sixth-round pick, Tahj Brooks, is in the pipeline. Still not a top priority, but a potential Jeremiyah Love slide would open up an interesting conversation in the draft room.