Approval Poll: Bengals take Khalid Kareem with the 147th pick in NFL Draft

After securing a quarterback and wide receiver to kick off the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals turned to enhance their defense. They brought in two linebackers, addressing needs in the middle of the field.

Now, with the team’s fifth-round pick, the Bengals selected Khalid Kareem, a defensive end from Notre Dame. This is a move that has the potential to reduce the aging Carlos Dunlap’s snap count, hopefully improving his effectiveness.

The 6-4, 268-pound defensive end was a force for the Fighting Irish last season. In his third collegiate season, Kareem totaled 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. The powerful DE also had three forced fumbles.

A position we knew the Bengals were going to address at some point, Kareem will be a good fit on the defensive line.

With Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap both now over 30, the core of the Bengals line will switch hands in the next few years, and the team obviously views Kareem as a player that can help maintain its high standards.

That said, the Bengals wanted to shore up their offense to kick off the draft, but the major holes were still on their defense.

After solidifying their linebacking corps and adding Kareem, it’s assumed Cincinnati will go back to the offensive side of the ball, potentially selecting a player to fill out their offensive line in the sixth round.

Kareem is a solid pick, but was he the one you want?