NFL Draft Buzz Week 4: Will Bengals pick top 5, can Ravens fix their run defense?

The 2025 season is still very young as we enter Week 4 of the NFL season. However, that doesn’t mean we lack for NFL Draft headlines which we cover in this week’s NFL Draft Buzz. Some of the latest buzz is how high will the Bengals pick this year with Joe Burrow likely to miss most of the season, can 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams keep improvising, why the Texans will get their first win of the season this year, and much more.

Are the Bengals destined for a top-five pick in 2026 NFL Draft?

The most devastating injury of the season so far is Joe Burrow’s foot injury, which could sideline him for most, if not all, of the year. Overnight, Cincinnati went from Super Bowl sleeper to a team staring down a possible top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Bengals are coming off the worst loss in franchise history and look broken on both sides of the ball. Burrow’s replacement Jake Browning has been downright awful. He has thrown five interceptions in just two games and managed only 140 passing yards last week against the Vikings while finishing with a 23.9 QBR. The run game is not helping either. Behind poor blocking, Chase Brown is averaging just 2 yards per carry and an NFL-worst negative-54 yards before contact this season. That means he is being hit behind the line almost every snap. Facing Denver’s elite defense this week, there is little reason to expect improvement.

Defensively, things are just as bad. Cincinnati is giving up 30 points per game and ranks 28th in third-down defense. Their inability to get stops could force them to invest their high first-rounder on that side of the ball. A name to watch is Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., who I currently have rated as the second-best defender in the 2026 class.

Can Caleb Williams take another step forward

For the first time this season, and maybe the first time in his two-year career, Caleb Williams looked like the franchise quarterback the Chicago Bears hoped for when they drafted him first overall in 2024. Against the Dallas Cowboys, Williams threw for a season-best 298 yards while setting career highs in passer rating and touchdown passes.

More importantly, he looked comfortable in the Bears’ offense. He consistently threw on rhythm, and for the first time in his career he was not sacked in a game. He also flashed the arm talent that made him such a coveted prospect, connecting with Luther Burden on a 65-yard touchdown and threading several passes into tight coverage.

This week, Williams faces a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team that enters 0-3. The Raiders’ defense has been vulnerable, giving up 237 passing yards per game while allowing opponents to complete 68% of their throws. On paper, this sets up well for Williams to build on last week’s breakout and take another step forward.

Look for Texans rookies to step up

The Houston Texans have started 0-3 despite fielding one of the better defenses in the NFL. They are giving up only 17 points per game and have yet to allow more than 19 in a single contest. They are also generating steady pressure with nine sacks, ranking fourth in the league. The problem is on offense, where they are averaging just 12.7 points per game, the lowest in the NFL. A big reason for that lack of firepower has been the quiet start from their rookies, but that could change this week.

The team’s highest draft pick, wide receiver Jayden Higgins, was selected 34th overall. Through his first three games, he has only four receptions and was targeted just once over the last two weeks. That should shift against a Titans defense that has struggled against the pass all year. Higgins’ 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame makes him a natural mismatch, and this week he should push for a season-high in receptions. Do not be surprised if he also makes a contested grab, something he excelled at during his college days at Iowa State when he hauled in 14 contested catches last season.

Another rookie to watch is offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, Houston’s other second-rounder. The transition has been rough so far. Ersery has allowed a sack in each of his first three games and owns a poor 49.4 overall grade from PFF. But this matchup could be the reset he needs. Tennessee’s front seven has been one of the league’s weakest, managing only two sacks all season and none from the defensive ends he will be facing. They have also struggled to contain the run, which plays into Ersery’s strength. Last year at Minnesota, he was named the Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in part because of his dominant run blocking.

If Higgins and Ersery can finally settle in and C.J. Stroud takes a step forward, the Texans have a real chance to pick up their first win of the season against the Titans.

Jaxson Dart’s first NFL start

The New York Giants are off to a rough 0-3 start, and their offense has been flat. They have scored fewer than 10 points in two of their three games and currently sit 27th in the league in points per game. Third downs have been brutal as well, converting just 28% of their attempts, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

With veteran Russell Wilson proving he is not the long-term solution, the Giants are handing the reins to first-round pick Jaxson Dart, who will make his first NFL start this Sunday against the Chargers. It will not be an easy debut, as he will face a defense giving up just 16.3 points per game, the third-best in the league.

Still, there are reasons for optimism. Dart flashed promise in the preseason, showing accuracy with 68% completions and mobility as a runner. Preseason competition is not the same as facing NFL starters, but it showed the tools are there. His track record at Ole Miss also backs that up, as he earned first-team All-SEC honors after throwing for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns.

For the Giants to help Dart succeed, they will likely lean on the run game, with rookie back Cam Skattebo in line for a bigger workload after a strong showing last week. Expect the Giants to also mix in plenty of RPOs, something Dart thrived on in college that can take advantage of his athleticism.

While Dart may struggle in his first outing, the experience should serve him well. If he grows from it, this week could set the stage for the Giants to finally grab a win on October 5th against the Saints.

What is wrong in Baltimore 

Going into the 2025 season, the Baltimore Ravens were a popular Super Bowl pick. Now they sit at 1-2 heading into a huge matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, and another loss could make it tough for them to even get back in the playoff race. So what is wrong with the Ravens this season? It surely is not the offense, which leads the NFL in scoring at 37 points per game.

The real problem is the defense, which has been nothing short of a disaster. Baltimore is giving up a league-worst 415 yards per game and allowing 37 points a game, the second-worst mark in the NFL. A big reason for this collapse comes from the front seven. The Ravens have been gashed on the ground, surrendering 149 rushing yards per game and an NFL-high seven rushing touchdowns.

A couple of players in the middle of the defense have especially struggled. Roquan Smith has had a hard time getting off blocks, something he is facing more of this season due to the poor play of the defensive tackles. That group has not done enough to clog lanes or tie up blockers, leaving Smith exposed.

If things do not improve quickly, the Ravens may have to find answers in the draft. One name that fits the bill is Iowa State’s Domonique Orange, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound defensive tackle who brings the size and strength to help fix Baltimore’s leaky run defense.

Can the Lions finally get to the quarterback

The Detroit Lions look like the best team in the NFC despite opening the season with a 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Since then, they have bounced back in a big way, putting up 90 points over their last two games. This weekend they face the Cleveland Browns, fresh off an upset win over the Packers.

If the Lions want to make a deeper playoff run than last season, when they fell in the Divisional Round to Washington, they need more out of their pass rush. Right now, they own a league-low 22.0% pass rush win rate and still lack a proven edge rusher outside of Aidan Hutchinson, who continues to battle constant double teams.

Detroit could hope for a veteran like Al-Quadin Muhammad to step up, but the more realistic solution might come in the draft. Edge rusher looks like their biggest need heading into 2026, and one name that fits well is Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei. Like Hutchinson, Uiagalelei is a bigger defensive end who wins with power, sets the edge against the run, and has the potential to develop into a feared pass rusher at the next level.