Three Players The Bengals Should Consider at No. 31 Overall

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off an unexpected fantastic season even though they ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl. They are looking to come back with a vengeance and the 2022 NFL Draft, which is taking place on Thursday night, will be a great way for the Bengals to add some pieces to the weak spot in their team.

It has been a point of emphasis in both seasons that the Bengals acquired Joe Burrow that they must protect him if they want to continue being a title-contending team. Every Cincinnati Bengals fan knows that the Bengals would not have won the division or gotten to the Super Bowl without Joe Burrow as the quarterback.

It should ease some concerns with fans that the management has taken a strong position to pick up many offensive linemen this offseason, even before the draft. The question is: who and what position will the Bengals be targeting with the 31st pick of the NFL Draft.

The Bengals have the potential to go for either an offensive or defensive pick since there are still some weak points on both sides of the ball.

Tyler Linderbaum

The first potential pick that the Bengals could select if he is still on the board is the center from Iowa, Tyler Linderbaum. With the many acquisitions that the Bengals made this offseason, Linderbaum would add another dimension of young talent. This would really show how much the organization is investing in the offensive line to protect Joe Burrow and improve the running game.

Linderbaum has the ability to start in his first season because of his experience at the position and the strong need for depth on the offensive line. Another pickup, Ted Karras, could potentially play the center position but can be flexible to play guard if the Bengals decide to go with Linderbaum with their first pick.

Andrew Booth

The second potential first-round pick for the Bengals is on the other side of the ball with Andrew Booth, a cornerback from Clemson. On the defensive side, the cornerback position is one of Cincinnati’s weakest points. There are some experienced players that have filled the role in previous seasons, but there is a strong need to add depth and young talent to the cornerback position for the Bengals.

At Clemson, Booth has lots of exposure to both man and zone coverages due to the complexity of the Clemson defense. He could add both size and speed which is hard to find in a cornerback in the NFL.

Kaiir Elam

Lastly, to go along with my second option, cornerback Kaiir Elam from Florida would be a great option if he falls to No. 31. If the Bengals want to forgo an offensive lineman, Elam could be the guy for the Bengals. He is both fast and plays physically which could be a really good fit for the Bengals, and his talent would translate well in the NFL.

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