The Cincinnati Bengals used the first draft of the Zac Taylor era to make some splashes and head-scratchers at the same time.
Jonah Williams in the first round was a splash. So was trading up for quarterback Ryan Finley at the start of Day 3. Grabbing Drew Sample in the second round, not so much.
Either way, the Bengals stuck to their board and the impact on the roster is beginning to take shape — which leads to winners and losers.
Winner: John Ross
Ross just keeps winning.
He’s gone from silly trade rumors to thinking perhaps the Bengals draft a wideout.
They didn’t.
The Bengals did get an undrafted steal with Stanley Morgan. But overall, the Bengals didn’t do much to threaten Ross’ position on the depth chart, which aligns with what they have been saying all along.
Loser: Clint Boling
Boling’s spot has looked precarious for a while now.
Speculation about his spot on the team has continued to ramp up, as he has one year left on his deal.
The Bengals didn’t do anything to squash these concerns either. They added Williams in the first round, which could send Cordy Glenn somewhere random like guard if he takes over left tackle. Then they added Michael Jordan in the fourth, who looked better at guard than center in college — and he isn’t taking Billy Price’s job at center.
Winner: Joe Mixon
It doesn’t get much better than this for Mixon.
The Bengals improved the line twice with Williams and Jordan. They also prioritized a blocking tight end with Sample. Odd value in the second or not, he helps the running game.
Overall, the entire offense is about working through Mixon and the playaction, which the entire draft emphasized.
Loser: Jordan Evans
Time might be up for Evans.
Evans didn’t make big strides last year when given a chance and Malik Jefferson, last year’s third-round pick, is still clawing for a spot.
Over the weekend, the Bengals again hit the spot with Germaine Pratt in the third and he looks like he can be a three-down player, especially with the way coaches are talking about him already.
Winner: Brian Callahan
What a great position for the new offensive coordinator to find himself in right now.
Callahan already inherited an offense with Andy Dalton, Mixon, A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd. Two of his team’s biggest draft wins were offensive linemen. A top-52 pick was a blocking tight end to reinforce the depth chart. A fourth-round pick was an intriguing passer.
Then two of the team’s final four picks went to huge-upside backs with Trayveon Williams, a workhorse producer and Rodney Anderson, who would have come off the board much higher had he not been hurt last year.
Loser: Jeff Driskel
The arrival of Finley hurts Driskel more than anyone else.
There is nothing good about a new offensive staff arriving and moving to trade up and grab a quarterback in their first draft. Driskel struggled last year in iffy surroundings, completing less than 60 percent of his passes with six touchdowns over nine appearances.
The backup gig now belongs to Finley unless something unexpected happens.
