American Football

9 Bengals who could be stressed about their future now that the draft has ended

May 6, 2024

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers — Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Who’s up for some arguing today?

The NFL Draft is over, and the Cincinnati Bengals have added 10 new faces to their roster. They likely will add a few more undrafted free agents, as well as a handful of unsigned NFL free agents, to fill out their roster for camp before they trim down to the final 53.

There are obviously guys on the roster whose names are written in sharpie. They’re starting unless they’re injured. There are some guys, though, who may be on some shaky ground following the draft.

Here are a few examples, in no particular order.

Tanner Hudson, TE

Hudson was the most productive pass-catching part of a multiple-headed monster at tight end in 2023. Free agent Irv Smith Jr. didn’t pan out, and Drew Sample was mostly utilized as a blocker, which allowed Hudson to be a pleasant surprise in a disappointing season.

The Bengals addressed the position pre-draft by re-signing him as well as Sample and then signing free agent Mike Gesicki to a one-year deal. It looked like Hudson would be the backup pass-catching option, and Sample would be the team’s h-back.

And then the Bengals selected not one but two tight ends in this year’s draft. Now, Hudson is going to not only compete for a roster spot and play time with Erick All and Tanner McLachlan. Both are talented pass-catchers and while they both aren’t completely healthy right now, they eventually will be.

Hudson has game experience, but he’s going to have to be his best self to fight off some of the talented new guys. There’s nothing wrong with a little competition, though.

Jackson Carman and D’Ante Smith, OT

The writing was on the wall as soon as Roger Goodell read the pick out loud. Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown would be the team’s starting options at right tackle, and Amarius Mims would be the team’s swing tackle and right tackle of the future. That means there’s space for one more.

Carman has more experience as well as some time at guard, but he has been infuriating to watch at times. Smith hasn’t seen any game time, but maybe that means he hasn’t left a bad impression. Yet.

One of these guys, if not both, is probably on the outs.

Zach Carter, DT

Carter has struggled to make his mark since he was drafted in the third round in 2022. Maybe the Bengals thought they could mold him into Geno Atkins’ replacement, but Carter has been much more miss than hit. On top of that, the Bengals used two of their four Day 1 and Day 2 picks on defensive tackles Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson.

The Bengals had a large hole to fill before the draft having lost DJ Reader in free agency. Even though they signed veteran interior pass rusher Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle was easily the thinnest on the roster. Now, there are two more mouths to feed, and with the lack of production from Carter, he’s already likely on the outside looking in.

Trey Hill, C

Ted Karras is entering the last year of his contract with the Bengals, and with Ja’Marr Chase and other pending extensions on the horizon, it’s unclear whether there will be room for more Teddy K after 2024, though all Bengals fans would welcome him with open arms.

The Bengals didn’t use any early picks in the draft, signifying they’re not only comfortable with their current interior offensive line, but they were comfortable with Karras leaving being Future Bengals’ problem.

That is until Matt Lee fell in their lap when they went on the clock with their final pick in the draft. Lee is undersized but athletic and a great technician, especially as a pass protector. He doesn’t threaten Karras’ job in any way, but he does threaten Hill’s. If Lee wins the backup center job, the future of the position will be in his hands.

Brad Robbins, P

The Bengals selected Robbins in the 2023 draft, but he struggled throughout the season. He was ranked by PFF 35th of 39 punters, and a struggling offense needs to have an effective punter. The Bengals didn’t address the position in the draft, but they did sign undrafted free agent punter Austin McNamara out of Texas Tech. Dane Brugler rated McNamara as the third-best punter in this year’s draft class in The Beast, and his scouting report seems to indicate he has a huge leg, something Robbins isn’t known for.

Robbins hasn’t lost the job, and McNamara hasn’t won it. They’re both going to have to work for it.

These next two are a little more hypothetical…..

Trent Brown, OT

Brown’s position on the depth chart is not in jeopardy, but his career could be. He signed a one-year deal with the Bengals to show he can stay healthy and be a starting-caliber right tackle in the NFL. If he can’t do that, where does he go after he’s done in Cincinnati?

The Bengals wisely used the No. 18 overall pick on Amarius Mims, the massive offensive tackle out of Georgia. Over the last two postseason runs, injuries along the offensive line have cost the Bengals dearly. On top of that, Brown has only played 12 or more games in a season three times in his nine-year career.

He’s capable. We all know that. If he stays healthy for the majority of the season and plays as well as he has in the past, his career could have a second wind. If not, it could be over.

Dax Hill, S CB

The Bengals didn’t select a cornerback early in the first few rounds, but they did grab TCU corner Josh Newton in the fifth, and they made the official announcement that Hill, the first-round safety they selected in 2022, would be playing corner. He didn’t really fit in as Jessie Bates’ replacement at free safety, but that’s not really what he did at Michigan either.

What he did well at Michigan was playing Mike Hilton’s role as a slot corner and general menace in the box. We’re not really sure where Hill’s going to be lined up, whether that’s on the outside or on the inside, but we do know he’s behind the eight ball, through no fault of his own, and he’s going to have to prove he belongs somewhere in the Bengals secondary soon.