With the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals…. That’s where it gets interesting. According to rumors, the Bengals are expected to take quarterback Joe Burrow out of LSU. While that’s a good quality choice, the Bengals have the power to change the entire landscape of the draft.
Who’s to say they won’t keep Andy Dalton? With the possibility that AJ Green is given the Franchise Tag, that could be a clear sign they’re willing to keep their two offensive staples in uniform. If that’s the case, then the Bengals can choose DE Chase Young from Ohio State and revamp their defense. With that move, they have now changed the dynamic of the draft. The next pick goes to the Washington Redskins.
If the Redskins truly believe that Dwayne Haskins is their leader, then where does that leave Burrow? With the 3rd pick, the Detroit Lions have their quarterback in Matthew Stafford and the same goes for the New York Giants (4th pick) in Daniel Jones. So, by keeping Dalton, the Miami Dolphins could essentially end up with Burrow and not Tau Tagovailoa as been projected by most Mock Drafts.
But then, if the Bengals are looking to add a veteran here, they could trade Dalton to a team like the Carolina Panthers for Cam Newton. While that’s a bit of a stretch, moving Dalton would be a great move if the Bengals are sold on Burrow. But what happens if they decide to trade the No. 1 pick for later selections in the first and second round?
The Bengals finished the 2019 season 2-14 and a vast majority of their losses were due to injuries. Dalton missed three games and Green didn’t play a single snap this season. Maybe they will want to run it back. There is also the possibility of taking Burrow and sitting him for a season until Dalton becomes a free agent and let him learn like the Kansas City Chiefs did with Pat Mahomes and the Green Bay Packers did with Aaron Rodgers.
In recent years, teams have been in dire need of a quarterback. But with the top 10 teams in the draft mostly stable at the position, the Cincinnati Bengals have the 2020 NFL Draft by the throat and the rest of the league hostage.
If they keep Dalton, then it becomes a rat race between the Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers who might be in need of a quarterback since Philip Rivers and the Chargers have parted ways. The Chargers figured they may have to make a trade to move up to get Tagovailoa ahead of the Dolphins but if the Bengals go off-script, the Chargers can just stand pat and still get one of the two players they want.
All of this is still on the Cincinnati Bengals. They can go the conventional route and take Burrow, trade for a veteran quarterback, move back in the draft with more picks or take Young. This is all speculation but it shows the many options the Bengals have at their disposal.
So, with that said, with the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals….
