Bengals meet with Day 3 prospect from Indiana

The Bengals have been looking into a lot of Day 3 linebackers in the 2024 class, and that continues with their latest reported meeting.

The Cincinnati Bengals have their starting linebackers locked in for at least the next two years with Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson.

After those two, however, they don’t have anyone on a long-term contract, so while it is not a major need, it is the perfect position to use a Day 3 pick on.

The most recent reported meeting fits with that mold perfectly. Justin Melo reported that Indiana linebacker Aaron Casey met virtually with the Bengals.

Casey was very productive but is a player who is limited athletically, so as a depth linebacker, he is someone who would make sense, although his upside in the modern NFL seems very limited.

Regardless of that, the Bengals need some linebackers behind the top two on longer-term deals, ideally ones that they can trust to be in the right spot at the right time.

If Casey is someone that they can trust with that, then he is someone who would make a lot of sense as the first or second linebacker off the bench. They could add another linebacker with some more athletic upside to have on the bench as well.

The linebacker position is one of the more slept on as a Bengals need. It may not be a position they should necessarily spend any premium capital on, but it is one that they are almost guaranteed to address at some point.

The challenge for the Bengals will be finding the best balance of future potential and readiness to play now, especially considering it really is a Day 3 need for the team.