How Drew Lock could be the key to the Bengals’ draft

There is a constant debate raging amongst Bengals fans and it is all about the starting quarterback. While all Bengals fans are excited to have moved on from long-time head coach Marvin Lewis, some think that another shoe has to fall to truly hit the reset button.

Whether it is those who are ready to move on from Andy Dalton or the Red Rifle’s loyalists who win out, former Missouri quarterback Drew Lock could be important to the Bengals draft.

Lock is a very talented passer who has an excellent ability to create plays when things break down. These abilities warrant investigation by any club, even if they have a suitable starter at quarterback.

Just look at the Chiefs two years ago. Head coach Andy Reid had a very reliable passer in Alex Smith who went 41-20 in his first four seasons in Kansas City. Smith’s presence did not stop them from drafting Patrick Mahomes when they recognized him as a transcendent talent. Mahomes backed Smith up for his rookie season and when the Chiefs officially plateaued with Smith under center, Mahomes took over became the NFL MVP in his first year starting.

In order for teams to improve, they must constantly be looking to upgrade every position and that includes quarterback. Maintaining the status quo can sink a team in a hurry. But even if the Bengals don’t see Lock as the same talent as Mahomes, he could still play a major role in their draft.

Here’s are some reasons why it make sense:

A lot can happen in 10 picks. The Bengals should have a plethora of options with their 11th overall selection. They may look to target a player like LSU linebacker Devin White, Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, or maybe even an offensive tackle like Florida’s Jawaan Taylor. The nature of the draft is that there’s no guarantee that any of these players are available.

Let’s say they have focused on taking a linebacker. They have White graded as a top-10 player, as did other teams, but let’s say the Buccaneers draft him with the fifth-overall pick.

Now, as it gets to the Bengals with the 11th pick, Michigan linebacker Devin Bush is at the top of their board. They like the pick, but don’t think that anyone will take him until the Steelers who have the 20th pick.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins were both already taken (hypothetically-speaking), which leaves Lock as the likely next quarterback on most teams’ boards. As a result, quarterback-needy teams like the Dolphins (13th pick), the Redskins (15th pick), and maybe even the Giants (17th pick), all sit not far behind and desperate to move up to get a quarterback if they hadn’t already done so.

One has to think that Lock is on the table for discussion for those teams. The Bengals could potentially pick up a first-round pick in next year’s draft in exchange for moving down only a few slots and still getting the guy they want in Bush. This added draft capital in 2020 could potentially be used to acquire their own franchise quarterback via a trade up if they decide that Lock is not that guy this year.

For years, the Bengals have ignored the quarterback position early in the draft, but have always been keen to helping out other teams get their’s. Lock may not even be on the Bengals’ radar come April, but he could be the difference between them potentially securing the future at quarterback.