Cincinnati Bengals: Potential first-round targets in 2021 NFL Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals may have landed the new face of their franchise in last year’s draft, but if they’re going to put Joe Burrow in a position to succeed, they need to hit big with their top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. There are significant improvements that have to be made on both sides of the football but their top priority should be getting help for their star quarterback.

Before his knee injury in Week 11, Burrow was playing some solid football for the Bengals despite receiving little in return from his supporting cast. The offensive line was horrendous, surrendering 32 sacks while Burrow was under center. That was the second-most in the league through the first 11 weeks of the season.

Because of their struggles, the run game could never get going either. In fact, the team only had three games in which a running back went over 80 yards on the ground in 2020. Coincidentally, the team went 3-0 in those games. The wide receiver position did provide some promise as Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins look to be a nice duo to build on going forward. However, with A.J. Green’s time coming to an end in Cincy, they could be in the market for another blue-chip pass-catcher to add to the mix.

The Bengals have the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and while most expect them to take the top available offensive tackle on the board, they will have some options to choose from when they’re finally on the clock. Here are a few potential first-round targets for the Cincinnati Bengals.