The Cincinnati Bengals are candidates to take a quarterback in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
This isn’t as controversial as it might sound. The Bengals have a new head coach, multiple big names in the organization have said anything is possible, and Andy Dalton doesn’t have any guaranteed money left on his deal.
Still, it’s a controversial subject for fans, understandably. Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com recently weighed in with an interesting take on the matter while answering a fan’s question:
My sense is the longer the draft goes, the higher probability they take a quarterback. I could see them taking one at No. 11, but I’m not sure the top guys (Murray, Haskins and maybe Drew Lock?) have that drop-dead whiff of a No. 11 while guys at other positions (pass rusher, offensive and defensive tackle) do. But if a guy’s value matches the pick, I could see them picking a quarterback at any point. It would just seem to be more likely after the first. But, really, if they like those top QBs, they’d be killing themselves by advertising it. So yeah, No. 11, they could.
Which really says it all. Regardless of where an individual fan might sit on the debate, if the draft falls in a way that aligns with the Bengals’ draft board, quarterback will be the pick.
The Bengals have clearly been all over edge rushers during the process and will presumably take one if the value is right. But as Hobson notes, the Bengals wouldn’t make it obvious if they wanted a quarterback. They didn’t have major names visit Paul Brown Stadium during the visit process — but they did make a point to have private meetings with guys like Dwayne Haskins at the combine and pro days.
Maybe the quarterback selection happens (and it will simply given the number of picks the Bengals have again) well after the first round. But don’t discount the idea of one at No. 11 if it matches their board.
