One doesn’t have to look far to find some high praise for how the Cincinnati Bengals have tackled this critical offseason as they hope to get back to a third consecutive AFC title game.
It’s not an easy feat to earn a ton of praise while losing big names like Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell and even Hayden Hurst to the open market. Likewise, when trying to make a solid draft pick so late in the first-round order.
Alas, most experts seem to see a lot to like for the Bengals anyway as director of player personnel Duke Tobin found a way to make it all work.
Here’s a look at some notable expert grades for the Bengals so far.
Pro Football Focus: A
Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson says the Bengals hit critical needs well:
Cincinnati securing the services of Orlando Brown Jr. at tackle was both unexpected and excellent opportunistic work. Brown has five straight seasons with a PFF pass-blocking grade of at least 74.4 and helps further solidify the Bengals’ offensive line. Cody Ford adds depth to the group, as well, while the gamble that Irv Smith Jr. can remain healthy is an excellent buy-low gamble.
Their draft was an excellent one also, with Myles Murphy bringing elite tools and flashes of play at an area of the draft where that skill set is typically gone. Cornerback D.J. Turner, safety Jordan Battle, receiver Charlie Jones and running back Chase Brown all future-proof areas of the roster without needing to be pressed into full-time roles right away.
CBS Sports: B
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin liked the Orlando Brown Jr. move, even if he still has some questions about it:
OT Orlando Brown Jr. is a clear upgrade on Jonah Williams after an imperfect but solid run protecting Patrick Mahomes, and he arrived at a significantly more reasonable number ($16M per year) than expected. But how much did the Chiefs mask his flaws? Retaining tough LB Germaine Pratt was smart, too, and they did a fair job addressing free agent secondary losses by adding DJ Turner and Jordan Battle near the top of the draft.
Pro Football Network: Tier 2: Improvements
Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller slotted the Bengals in Tier 2, just under the “massive improvements” tier, which isn’t a bad place to be, all things considered:
Myles Murphy was a bit of a gift late in the first round, as was DJ Turner at the end of Round 2. Bengals fans seem not to love the Jordan Battle selection, but he should be a solid pro from Day 1 that allows Lou Anarumo to play to Dax Hill’s versatile strengths.
While the future at right tackle is unknown after Jonah Williams requested a trade, he’s currently still on the roster to help the team in 2023.
Bleacher Report: B+
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox is a big fan of not only how well the Bengals performed, but how the moves left plenty of cap space:
The Bengals deserve a lot of credit for reloading their roster without breaking the bank. They still have $15.4 million in cap space available, which is important. Borrow is extension-eligible this offseason, wideout Tee Higgins is in the final year of his rookie deal, and receiver Ja’Marr Chase will be extension-eligible next offseason.
Yardbarker: B+
Yardbarker’s Seth Trachtman especially liked how the Bengals navigated the draft:
The AFC Championship loss still stings, and the Bengals needed to make some hard decisions by allowing Jesse Bates, Von Bell, Samaje Perine, and Hayden Hurst to walk in free agency. However, the team did well in replacing that crew, adding Nick Scott and Irv Smith Jr. in free agency while also improving its offensive line with Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle. The team also got some great draft values, including safety Jordan Battle and running back Chase Brown. The only major question is Joe Mixon’s future after offseason legal issues.
Sports Casting: B
The Bengals landed in the B tier with Sports Casting’s Stephen Sheehan, who highlights multiple possible defensive starters drafted:
Betting on Orlando Brown Jr. is a big risk that could also pay big dividends for a Bengals team that desperately needs to keep Joe Burrow upright. Cincinnati followed up with a no-nonsense draft that could yield three starters on defense, highlighted by high-upside pass-rusher Myles Murphy out of Clemson.
