Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals were in a complete state of chaos. Their franchise quarterback, Carson Palmer, was refusing to return to the team, even threatening retirement if he was not traded. It was unclear how their defense would stand up in 2011, and their offense seemed completely devoid of talent.
Fast forward one year to today. They have a new franchise quarterback in Andy Dalton, and they have a new play maker on offense in AJ Green. The Bengals’ defense finished the season as the 7th ranked unit in the game, and suddenly, the Bengals look like they’re a team on the rise.
The Bengals have two first round draft picks in 2012, and there seems to be two consensus positions the Bengals will look to improve. The Bengals may look to draft a young, top of the line running back with one of their two first round picks. The departure of Cedric Benson should not, and cannot be ignored by the Bengals. He wasn’t an elite runner for them, but he provided the offense with the balance that allowed Andy Dalton to stay comfortable in the pocket. Should they ignore that position, the Bengals would sorely miss Benson. Considering that the Bengals’ first pick is 17th overall, they should have no problem finding a running back early in the draft to replace Benson. Trent Richardson and David Wilson seem to be popular suggestions for the Bengals.
The other position the Bengals may look to improve is in the secondary. Adam “Pacman” Jones and Nate Clements currently hold down the Bengals’ starting CB positions, but Jones is slated to be a free agent in 2012, and it seems unlikely that the Bengals would continue to employ a player with so many ongoing problems.
There are a handful of cornerbacks that the Bengals may be able to choose from, but it’s not likely that an “elite” level corner will fall to them unless Dre Kirkpatrick slides down the board. The more likely options seem to be Janoris Jenkins from North Alabama or Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska. Before you dismiss Jenkins as a small school product, consider that it is far easier to evaluate a cornerback from a small school than other positions like running backs, quarterbacks, linebackers, etc. For a corner, it’s all about the footwork and his break on the ball or receiver. Jenkins is projected in the top 20 for a reason, and his small school status isn’t likely to scare too many teams away from him.
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