Cincinnati Bengals: A Look into the 2022 NFL Draft Team Needs
By Tyler Kirk
Cincinnati Bengals 2022 NFL Draft Needs
4. Cornerback
The Cincinnati Bengals really struck gold when they signed a handful of veteran cornerbacks in the off-season. With the additions of Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie and Eli Apple, the Bengals corners have really done a nice job handling a great group of wideouts in the AFC this year. I think that most Bengals fans were pleasantly surprised with the outcome of these players.
In the 2022 off-season the Cincinnati Bengals will have Eli Apple and Vernon Hargreaves as free agents that they will most likely not retain. I think they will put all their attention to high priority free agent Jessie Bates III, who has been holding down this Bengals secondary for years.
If the Cincinnati Bengals add more youth to this position in the 2022 NFL Draft, I think they can have one of the best secondary rooms in the league. If you add another outside corner in the draft, you now can have Hilton still stay strictly as your slot corner and can play Awuzie and your rookie on the boundaries.
This addition would not only make it very tough for opposing teams to throw on the Bengals, but when you have two big interior defensive tackles in D.J Reader and B.J Hill they will make it tough to run as well.
5. Offensive Tackle
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Riley Rieff in the off-season who then got hurt in late December. While the Bengals have two young tackles playing right now in Isaiah Prince and Jonah Williams, I think that they can upgrade in this years loaded tackle class.
Like I mentioned earlier, the Cincinnati Bengals opted to take Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell and it worked out well. I think now it’s time to invest in the tackle spot. I think that the need for a tackle I have listed as number five but could easily be a top three need depending on how you value the Bengals interior line.
With the Cincinnati Bengals picking in the thirties in the 2022 NFL Draft, it is hard to say who might be available. I can tell you right now that there are talented tackles in this class and the Bengals can upgrade in a major way for the 2022 NFL season.