The 2021 NFL draft continues to lurk in the background while the focus is on free agency, a detail the Cincinnati Bengals certainly aren’t overlooking.
Those Bengals have been busy over the last week or so, making a point to send offensive line coaches to Rashawn Slater’s pro day, according to Jim Nagy of the Senior Bowl. According to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports, the Bengals also had a line coach at Quinn Meinerz’s pro day.
Slater is the massive name, of course, as the Northwestern star is easily the second-best offensive lineman available in the draft — and some would argue he’s the first.
That’s important because while the Bengals might prefer Penei Sewell, they will need a fallback plan if the Oregon star comes off the board before fifth overall. Likewise, should they trade down.
Meinerz is more of a lesser-known prospect out of Wisconsin–Whitewater, but it just goes to show how all-encompassing Cincinnati’s search for offensive line help will be.
And this could be especially important after the Bengals gambled and didn’t use a tag on either Carl Lawson or William Jackson in the hopes of spending big in free agency.
