FanPost

Mini-Series: Bye Week Mock Draft




As we all know, our Cincinnati Bengals "The Cincinnati Bengals" haven't lived up to our expectations & standards we have set for them coming into this season.

After a hot start last season going 8-0 at the midway point of the season everything seemed to be going right and where we want it to be. Winning cures a lot of stuff until you start losing again.

So far this season, we have been constantly reshuffling & trying to find the pieces to the puzzle on our roster.

Looking at the organization from top to bottom, we really do have some of the best; but the problem is that it isn't quite translating onto the field with the results everyone wants & have.

3-4-1, that's our record at this very moment, below .500 (essentially 2 game below .500) for what it's worth, we've seen a lot of bad things that we didn't expect coming into this season.

Offensive: Our WR & TE Corp are very young after losing some of the most veteran player on the team.

I know, everyone have heard about the loss of Hue Jackson & MoJo & Sanu and how it is holding us back from making it back to the playoffs & not going to win a playoff game.

But their presence is actually left a void in the offense. Ken Zampese had shown glimpses of what he could do, yet he has also shown what he can't do. (1st OC Job) There were flashes of what the Offense can be and there were other times you just scratch your head and yell at your TV Set. MoJo & Sanu presence has been filled by an aging Veteran trying to prove he still have some left in the tank (Brandon Lafell) & a young Rookie WR having to fill a big role left by another player (Tyler Boyd).

Some of the things we didn't expect was the O-Line not performing to the standards that we have seen in the last few years in terms of protection and being able to move opposing teams off the LOS. This may be due to the new starter at RT (Cedric Ogbuehi) filling the role that once was Andre Smith's. Also it could be due to the slow progress growth of our C (Russell Bodine) has shown flashes of being an above average C but then shows us why we might/may need a new one ASAP.

Defensive: Everyone on this side of the ball should really find a way to fix this mess. Yes, I understand that the defense has a lot of new coaches assisting our DC (Paulie G) yet this is still the same scheme from 2011 and yet many of the players have been in the system are not looking like they know the system.

The DL looks like they have lost a step/production in MJ90 & Peko & as for the 2 back-up DE both haven't been groom or develop into the players we want them to be (Margus Hunt & Will Clarke) both have shown flashes of being a rotational player on this D-Line & then again they go missing most of the times when called upon.

The LB corp is slow, unfit, non-athletic, aged & out of sync. Tez missed the first 3 games of the season and came back looking bigger this season, Rey M seem to be the same being overweight & slow. Vincent Rey has been probably been the most consistent LB but everyone know his problems (undersized & non athletic). Karlos Dansby (our FA Winning Signing) has shown he's lost more than just a step & father time looks like as if they are not too far away from him. Vigil & Flowers haven't seen much PT outside of ST play. Both of them seem to be the younger coverage LB but has yet to see much action.

The DB group has been probably the unit that took the most loss this off-season with Reggie Nelson leaving to Oakland & Leon Hall to New York (Giants). This led to many of the young Defensive backs that has been waiting for their time to see the field the opportunity to give it their best shot. The replacement for Reggie Nelson was a safety who had been on the roster who has been groomed (Shawn Williams) but it looks like he doesn't possess much of the skills that Reggie Nelson did for the past 4-5 years. Hall departure opened to the door to Josh Shaw & Darqueze Dennard to compete for the slot CB spot. Yet it looked as if both guys have struggle in the slot and have been picked on pretty often in games. Also Iloka & Adam Jones who were having a sensation season last year haven't been able to produce the same numbers this season with poor play from the defense as a whole and also both guys having to do too much. It seems like Iloka is having to cover much more ground with Williams being his duo & Jones may have hit father time and it seems as if he doesn't trust his help defense deep. Derron Smith has earn some PT in limited action but with his lack of size he able to do much (The Jason Witten Stiff Arm)..Smh & Clay Fej is primarily designated to being a ST. CLH & Brown haven't seen much PT outside of CLH seeing game action. Russell looks like hes getting groom to be the slot if they lose Dre Kirk & Dennard in the near future or with Jones moving on or retiring.

The biggest disappointment for the Defense isn't just one particularly unit but the entire unit themselves. D-Line failing to generate constant pressure & contain runs and get penetration, leading to LB's having cover longer & having the LB to cover more ground and being unable to shed blocks from OL and the DB's have to cover longer and having to tackle RB's in the open field (which a lot of DB's don't want to do)

Special Teams: The Kicking game as we all know has been bad the last few years as we all know. Mike Nugent has past his prime and the Cincinnati Bengals should have looked and should be looking for a new kicker to take the reins from Nugent.

Overall that being said, this is my Bye Week Mock Draft (using First-Pick.com) to do this draft also not considering their ranking and will be based on my own rankings of prospects

As of right now the Cincinnati Bengals would be holding the 14th Overall Pick w/ a comp pick in the 4th round & in 5th round & two in the 6th Round

The 2017 NFL Draft (MOCK DRAFT)

Round 1: Derek Barnett DE Tennessee

Round 2: Pat Elflein C Thee Ohio State

Round 3: Kendell Beckwith LB LSU

Trade: 2017 4th+5th+6th Round Picks For Extra 2017 3rd Round Pick

Round 3: Travis Rudolph WR Florida State

Round 4 (Comp): Dominick Sanders S Georgia

Round 5 (Comp): Stacy Coley WR Miami

Round 6 (Comp): Jeremy Cutrer CB Middle Tennessee

Round 6 (Comp): Jalen Myrick CB Minnesota

Round 7: Derrick Nnadl DT Florida State

Any Thoughts, Debates, Draft Prospects To Talk About Comment Away And Please Do Share Your Thoughts & Opinon!! Who Dey!!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.