CincyJungle made an upgrade. Read this first to get acquired to the site (like obtaining your old usernames).
In Geoff Hobson's latest, he makes the point that the Bengals are very likely going after a running back and (not "or", and) wide receiver in the top-three rounds after the possibly of drafting Leodis McKelvin if Sedrick Ellis is gone. It's safe to say that the Bengals are unlikely to use their first pick for their #3 wide receiver. Not because their picking ninth, rather the strength of the wide receiver class is considered down, by some. Scouts.com ranks Malcolm Kelly as the highest rated wide receiver at 16. And after his "I'm really fast if I run on really fast surface" episode, his stock started slipping. It's realistic that he could drop to the Bengals second pick. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if he's already gone. I'd be surprised if he's around and the Bengals pass on him after Bob Bratkowski checked out the Oklahoma wide receiver during a two-man workout at Oklahoma earlier this month.
So we can assume the following. That the Bengals will draft either Ellis or McKelvin in the first round -- just because those names appear most often. In the second round, if he's available, the Bengals will help their wide receiver spot with Kelly -- or another WR at least. I don't have any inside information on that, just that it seems marked that way.
But running back in the third?
It's honestly not a bad idea, but something has to give. It's a foregone conclusion -- well, it should be -- that Chris Perry would be axed first. He's got talent, but his health is simply not dependable. Nor is Rudi Johnson's return to 03-05 form, nor is the recovery of Kenny Irons after shredding his knee last pre-season. Kenny Watson is really the only "sure thing" returning while DeDe Dorsey has little room for leverage.
So this topic is, if the Bengals draft a running back (anywhere in the first three rounds), should they and who? (other than Chris Johnson).