According to Geoff Hobson's twitter account, Marvin Lewis has said that a result of the team's actions in free agency is their options on who they could draft are wide open.
#Bengals have all options open for draft
Marvin Lewis at NFL meetings says in wake of signingsThe Bengals have been very busy the past week and have added several players that both add depth and could start right away if the circumstances allowed it (i.e. Jason Allen and Leon Hall's health). With the addition of these players the Bengals have filled roster holes, but are they long-term answers to the Bengals' team needs? Is Jason Allen the CB of the future once Nate Clements' contract is up next year? Is Derek Harvey the answer if the Bengals cannot extend the contracts of Michael Johnson and/or Carlos Dunlap in the upcoming years? It is doubtful, but it is possible.
Even though the Bengals have addressed some of their immediate needs through free agency, it is not out of the realm of possibility for the Bengals to draft a CB, DE, or RB with their first two picks. If the player they think would be the best fit for the team is available, then the Bengals will draft him. It is that simple. You can never have enough of two things in the NFL: depth and talented youth. The Bengals could draft a CB with their first pick and have the veterans groom him for his first year and he could play a nickel or dime back while he gets acclimated to the next level. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility for the Bengals in this draft and I love it.
Although Lewis thinks the draft is wide open, because of their signings in free agency (or lack thereof), it has become likely that they will look at the WR2 position and draft someone to take pressure, and coverage, off of A.J. Green and get another weapon to add to Andy Dalton's arsenal of Green, Gresham, Green-Ellis, Hawkins, and Shipley.
This is one of the biggest, most important drafts for our Cincinnati Bengals in a very long time, and when the head coach comes out and says things like the draft being wide open for options, you cannot help but get more excited because you will not know for sure who the Bengals are going to draft until the commissioner gets up on the podium and announces that players name. That, my friends, is exciting for the future of the Bengals!
In reality, the Bengals cannot go wrong with whomever they decide to draft. There are a lot of holes to fill and there is a lot of talent in this year's draft. Whether the Bengals decide to take a CB, DE, DT, LB, or WR, they will be filling a need or adding youth and depth to a very good, very young team. The anticipation of draft day is palpable amongst Bengals fans and when it comes, you better believe I'll have my popcorn ready.