Continuity is always a big theme around the Cincinnati Bengals and that’s especially true for the scouting department responsible for helping add talent in the draft.
That same legwork plays a big role in future free-agency showings, too.
Director of college scouting Mike Potts and his crew used recent draft evaluations while signing free agents this offseason. They liked tight end Irv Smith Jr. and safety Nick Scott in the 2019 draft and used those notes as part of the process for signing them recently.
Same story for offensive tackle Cody Ford from 2019, as captured by Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
Potts says since access to players on other teams is basically shut off once they get into the league, it makes their scouting reports coming out of college so crucial. Their current NFL film is obviously a priority and is put under the microscope. But the initial reports allow the personnel staff to narrow and focus their lists quickly, with grades on character and medical still fresh and relevant enough to be a qualifier or disqualifier.
Tarell Basham? The staff liked him in 2017, had some Ohio U. connects with Jimmy Burrow and met with him. Elsewhere in 2017, draft notes for cornerback Sidney Jones.
And on the Ford front? This same staff liked him enough to explore trading up for him during the draft in 2019.
Much goes in to the process of signing a free agent, but this is an underrated snapshot that helps the Bengals more than most thanks to the continuity top to bottom.
