The dust has hardly settled on the 2024 NFL Draft and fans and analysts alike have already fired up the 2025 NFL Mock Draft machines! 2024 is set to be a pivotal one for the Cincinnati Bengals as they look to take advantage of the Joe Burrow-led Super Bowl window while still having most of the core still intact.
2024 is the last year before Burrow’s cap hit jumps to over $46 million and continues to climb to a peak of over $68 million in 2029. If they’re going to continue to be among the league’s elite, the franchise needs to draft well and take advantage of the cheap rookie contracts.
There have been a myriad of responses and breakdowns of the Bengals 2024 NFL Draft class. They kicked off the draft with the selection of Amrius Mims, an athletic tackle out of Georgia but one who only started eight games in college.
The second-round selection was a bit more safe with Kris Jenkins out of Michigan. Jenkins looks like he could be an immediate contributor on the defensive line. The risk lies within two of the team’s picks in the next two rounds.
Jermaine Burton was a late-bloomer at Alabama, generally not what the Bengals target at wide receiver. However, he already looks prepared for AFC North football, if you know, you know. He has some off-the-field concerns but with how hellbent Zac Taylor has been at reforming the Bengals’ culture, Burton must have impressed in meetings.
Another risk was Erick All. Selecting a tight end out of Iowa is usually a safe pick but All has had a pair of serious injuries toward the end of his career, most notably the torn ACL in 2023. Despite the injury, All led the Iowa offense in receiving despite missing nearly half the year. It’s both a testament to his impact as well as how awful that offense was.
The Bengals are not afraid to take swings. Now that they are entering the expensive years of Burrow’s career, they’re going to have to hit on as many picks as possible.
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