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Bengals with most original drafted players on roster

The Cincinnati Bengals apply the philosophy of building the through the draft like no one else in the NFL. According to one ESPN report, the Bengals still have 37 players that they drafted on their roster.

By Josh Kirkendall
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

When you listen to the talking point that the Cincinnati Bengals prefer to build their roster through the draft, they're not kidding. Of all the NFL teams that apply this philosophy, no one outshines the kings.

According to a story written by ESPN's Kevin Seifert, there are 37 players currently on the Bengals roster that Cincinnati drafted. That's five (32) more than the team with the second-most (Green Bay Packers). There are theories why this exists -- notably in the front office.

This updated list, to which the Cincinnati Bengals have ascended to the top, is not a perfect judge of draft performance. As you'll see, in many cases it mirrors continuity in the front office. A general manager is more likely to retain a player he drafted than one his predecessor selected. Not surprisingly, the top six teams on this list have all had their top draft decision-maker in place for at least five years (and an average of 11.6 years).

The Bengals have done a tremendous job re-signing their own over the last five years -- on the other hand, this philosophy will be put to the test when nearly 30 players enter free agency next year.

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