ESPN Draft expert/guru Todd McShay produces a list of teams that may generate the most noise in the first round (In$ider) during the 2012 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns and the question regarding quarterback Robert Grffin III, the Washington Redskins for the same reason, the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots. The fifth team? Your Cincinnati Bengals.
One of the reasons McShay believes that the Bengals could shake up the first round is primarily Alabama running back Trent Richardson. McShay writes:
That leaves Cincinnati with the option of upgrading at running back, and if Richardson should fall to the edge of the top 10, packaging one of their first-round picks -- perhaps with a second-rounder -- becomes an attractive option for the Bengals. Remember, given the rookie salary structure that took effect in 2011 , trading up that high now costs about half as much as it used to in terms of contract dollars.
That being said if the Bengals remain at 17 and 21 in the first round, McShay sees the teams going after Stanford guard David DeCastro and then the idea of going after the next best player.
Cincinnati could also enact the "best available player" philosophy if Jenkins, Stanford OT Jonathan Martin or Alabama OLB/DE Courtney Upshaw begin sliding down the board. Either way, that extra pick makes the Bengals a dangerous team that could make plenty of noise.