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The Cincinnati Bengals could end up choosing to go the luxury route with the fifth pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
That luxury could be Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts, a 6’6″ weapon who scored 12 times over eight games last year, figures to come off the board over the first 10 picks no matter what the Bengals do.
But for Dave Lapham, Pitts just isn’t a good value in the top five, as he noted on the latest “Bengals Booth Podcast” episode:
“At number five I think that’s a little bit rich to consider the tight end position….But taking a tight end at the fifth spot, I don’t know, to me that’s just a little bit too rich. This kid’s really good.”
Bengals team reporter Geoff Hobson followed up with this: “I don’t think they would take him even if they traded back.”
It’s an easy line of thinking to get behind when the objective of the offseason is better protecting Joe Burrow. Paying a free agent, then using a top-five pick or top 12ish after a trade back to take another lineman is a safe, smart way to go about things.
But the Bengals also need a complimentary piece to Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. It’s why mocks have Pitts going to the Bengals and we’ve argued the front office needs to target the Florida star.
The nice part about the conversation surrounding the fifth pick? This is a good problem for the Bengals to have and the team has plenty of time to go through the paces and upgrade the roster.
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