Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft Roundup 4.0

If they can't afford to keep Hayden Hurst in free agency, the athletically gifted Musgrave could slide right in as yet another weapon for this Joe Burrow-led offense that might not be able to pay everyone over the next few years.

The Cincinnati Bengals' roster is loaded, but between the looming contract extension for Joe Burrow and expiring contracts in Jessie Bates III, Vonn Bell, Germaine Pratt, Eli Apple, and Hayden Hurst with an even more daunting list following 2023, Cincinnati will need to keep finding value in the draft to replace some of what will inevitably depart. Darnell Washington would provide the Bengals with an impact blocker and middle-of-the-field presence for Burrow in the passing game.

The offensive line was okay before the injuries started to hit. Even so, the Bengals can't invest enough in protecting 9.

Hayden Hurst is set to be a free agent and Joe Burrow has not really had a reliable chain-mover that he can develop alongside. Enter Washington, who can be an extra tackle in the run game with his size while becoming an even bigger red-zone threat in the pros than he was in college.

There's some freakiness to the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Antonio Johnson, who's a former prep receiver and is not afraid to get downhill and hit people. Johnson got on the field early at Texas A&M and was able to hang physically, right away, in the SEC. He could play either strong or free safety for Cincinnati and probably do so immediately.

Studying the Bengals throughout the season and in preparation for the playoffs, not a ton of needs stood out. They could add a tight end at some point in the draft and could make some additions to the secondary, but really they could go in almost any direction with this pick, but for quarterback or wide receiver.

South Carolina CB Cam Smith is a fascinating study. He is competitive, and physical, moves extremely well, and is an asset in run support. The production might not jump out at you — Smith recorded one interception this past season — but you can see his disruptive nature on film. Whether it was a PBU on a vertical route against Missouri to get South Carolina off the field on third down, or a near-interception against Charlotte where he was playing in almost a half-field safety role, Smith can get to the ball and cause problems for an offense.

There was some thought that Anton Harrison might return to Oklahoma for an NIL deal that was too good to pass up, but instead he opted for the NFL. He's one of the top tackles in the class, and now the question is whether he finds his way into Round 1 or goes early on Day 2.

Washington feels too unique of a talent to not be a first-rounder. No, he's likely not going to be a 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL, but at 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, he blocks like an offensive lineman. He earned an 81.3 run-blocking grade and a 78.4 pass-blocking grade in 2022, and he's also a stellar weight-adjusted athlete who put up an 83.2 receiving grade, 475 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns this past season. His presence brings so much versatility to an offense's personnel choices.

Hayden Hurst had a decent bounce-back season after signing in Cincinnati, but he's hitting the free agent market again this offseason. The Bengals need to find a long-term tight end target for quarterback Joe Burrow. Even with Hurst, the offense ranked 29th in receiving yards by tight ends (556). Adding a big red-zone target is a way for it to level up.

Both Kincaid and Luke Musgrave (Oregon State) have a chance to be Round 1 picks, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few teams preferred one of them over Michael Mayer (Notre Dame) as the top-ranked tight end in this class. Kincaid had 16 touchdowns over the past two seasons, while Musgrave was in line for a breakout before he suffered a knee injury in October that prematurely ended his season. Kincaid has more speed, but Musgrave's size (6-6, 250 pounds) and upside intrigues NFL scouts. Cincinnati would upgrade with either player here.

Surrounding Joe Burrow with a collection of playmakers is always a good idea, particularly a big-bodied tight end with solid blocking and receiving skills.

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