Cincinnati Bengals mock draft: Best and worst-case scenarios for Joe Burrow in 2024 NFL Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals will feel that they didn’t do either their QB or their fans justice in the 2023 season, and as a result, will have the 18th overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

With Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase still in place, the Bengals are expected to return to form this year and be battling for a place in the postseason. To do that, the team will need to be proactive and smart in the draft process. Their main area of need is at defensive tackle after D.J. Reader didn’t re-sign with the franchise.

Sheldon Rankins signed with the team in free agency, but that isn’t a long-term measure and he may even be used more as a depth player if the Bengals are successful in securing a DT in the first round.

Chase is the undoubted WR1 in Cincinnati, but there is a need for additional support in that position. There needs to be a third option and given the depth of the class, the Bengals could pick up a stud with their second-round pick.

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The Bengals are light at right tackle and need a long-term solution, although it’s difficult to see them addressing that in the first round. This could be something that is kicked down the road to next year’s draft or even further free-agency moves later in the offseason.

Trent Brown’s arrival in free agency gives the Bengals a bit of breathing space here as he will be the starter in 2024, although his use for any longer than a year is debatable.

If the Bengals can secure an OT with huge upside and potential in the later rounds, he could work behind Brown for a year and maybe even be ready for 2025 and save the Bengals picks and value in the future.

Cincinnati Bengals 2024 NFL mock draft scenarios

Bengals mock draft: Best-case scenario

With the Sportskeeda 7-round Mock Draft Simulator laying out the best-case scenario for the Cincinnati Bengals, the team secures one of the truly elite DT prospects with pick No. 18.

Jer’Zhan Newton is a player who dominates games. He isn’t just someone that you can keep quiet, he doesn’t just win his one-on-one battle, but he turns games in the favor of his team.

Aaron Donald had this ability for the Rams and the Bengals will be excited by the sheer talent they can pick up here.

Newton’s pass-rushing ability is impressive and he is a rangy player who can use his arms to cause offensive linemen headaches. His power means he can force the total collapse of the pocket and make life exceedingly difficult for opposing QBs, which is a requisite when you consider the standard of AFC quarterbacks the Bengals will have to beat to reach the Super Bowl.

If Jer’Zhan Newton wasn’t exciting enough, the Bengals add a stud WR3 in the second round with Roman Wilson out of Michigan arriving. He has NFL-level speed and is reliable in the catch. He gives defenses something extra to plan for, even if they double-cover Chase.

What is especially intriguing about Wilson is his size and blocking ability. He could be plugged in at TE if an emergency arises, or make life difficult for defenses when Cincinnati runs the ball.

Whilst unable to secure a top-tier offensive tackle, the Bengals will be relaxed with the presence of Brown and the undeniable quality they’ve picked up in the first two rounds.

Kiran Amegadjie is more natural at LT, but he has a lot of potential. It’s raw right now, but this is a player who looks set to be an NFL starter in the future. He fits the bill for what the Bengals need in 2024 and the benefits could be even greater in future seasons.

He has elite length and his physical attributes make him stand out as a third-round prospect. One of the issues the Bengals have had in the last three years has been keeping Joe Burrow off the turf.

He has taken an almighty beating and would ideally like to stay vertical as he gets older. Amegadjie is a brilliant rush blocker and if he develops with NFL reps, the Bengals have a future starter here and the problem is solved.

Here’s how the draft selection plays out in this scenario:

· Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
· Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
· Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale
· Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn
· Mehki Wingo, DT, LSU
· Mason McCormick, OG, South Dakota State
· Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State
· Gottlieb Ayedze, OT, Maryland
· Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame

Bengals mock draft: Worst-case scenario

On the opposite end of Bengals drafts, Sportskeeda’s 7-round Mock Draft simulator presents the worst-case scenario for Joe Burrow and the team.

A trade out of the first round is far from ideal, especially with the quality of players on the board at DT and OT. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has the potential to be a starting cornerback in the NFL, but the Bengals don’t need that right now.

McKinnley Jackson arrives at DT to add depth to the hole, but that is a drastic drop in quality from either Jer’Zhan Newton or Byron Murphy II, who in this scenario they could have had in the first round with minimal effort/trading sacrifices.

The problem with this class is that it doesn’t address any of Cincy’s immediate needs. Edgerrin Cooper at LB doesn’t impact the interior as much as a DT would, whilst a wide receiver isn’t taken until all the way in the fifth round with Ricky Pearsall, who may not make the grade.

Offensive Tackle doesn’t get addressed in any real way and puts additional pressure on the Bengals in the 2025 NFL draft/offseason.

Here’s how the class played out: