The Cincinnati Bengals may have a leg up on the competition ahead of the 2021 NFL draft.
Cincinnati was one of just four teams to actually send coaches to last week’s Senior Bowl event, with two of the staffs there obviously to coach the game itself.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer broke it down:
“The limits on staff attending—10 per team—made it so the Dolphins and Panthers (coaching in the game) had about six times more people there than most of their counterparts did. And a result of the restrictions made it so only two teams, the Bengals and Giants, brought any coaches at all. Both those clubs used multiple of their 10 slots on coaches, with their head coaches, Zac Taylor and Joe Judge, in attendance. Which is interesting, given that there’s no combine this year, only regimented, scaled down pro days; the probability that private workouts are going to be conducted virtually; and zero guarantee that any team official will be able to go face-to-face with any prospect again before the draft in late April. So Taylor and Judge, and Rhule and Brian Flores, are playing from ahead in that regard.”
After coaching the game last year, it appears Zac Taylor and Co. value the experience quite a bit despite seemingly passing on a chance to coach the game itself again.
Bengals staffers have been adamant the lack of a typical Senior Bowl and scouting combine will simply place an even bigger emphasis on proper film evaluation.
But Taylor thought enough of the event to be there in person anyway, for whatever it’s worth. When it comes to drafting in the top five while rebuilding a roster, it’s worth taking every little advantage possible.
