Early 2021 NFL mock drafts keep it simple with the Cincinnati Bengals, gifting them an offensive tackle at No. 5 to protect Joe Burrow.
And while someone like Oregon’s Penei Sewell might make the most sense, it is hard to ignore the idea of getting another wide receiver to pair with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus makes the case for LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase over Sewell or other line help in his latest mock draft:
“While Bengals fans would have loved Sewell to shore up the offensive line, Chase could end up being even better for their offense in the long term. He reunites with former LSU teammate Joe Burrow and gives the Bengals a solid route-runner who simply knows how to win at the catch point at each level of the field. Burrow does need better protection, but receivers who get open quickly also protect the quarterback, and Chase produced a 91.1 PFF grade in 2019 while averaging 21.2 yards per reception.”
With three quarterbacks off the board over the first four picks, plus Sewell gone, the decision to pass on offensive line help makes sense.
It’s hard to ignore how great the Burrow-Chase connection was at LSU. To add to that, Zac Taylor and Co. added elements of the LSU offense to the Bengals, playbook, so the two probably wouldn’t have a hard time rekindling that connection right away.
That said, if Sewell is gone, the Bengals should have plenty of trade-down opportunities too, should they decide to prioritize the offensive line — and be unable to address it in free agency.
