Category: Latest News

Instant analysis of Bengals picking Tanner McLachlan in the sixth round

Instant analysis after the Bengals make a pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals reinforced the tight end depth chart again with the first of their two sixth-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft.

At No. 194, they added Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan, who just came off career-highs in receptions (45), receiving yards (528) and touchdowns (4) last season.

While an older prospect, the Bengals clearly intend to have McLachlan contribute if those on the depth chart in front of him go down.

Here’s a quick evaluation from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

McLachlan is a slightly challenging evaluation, as his measurables and traits don’t really match the intangibles and effort he puts on tape. He plays with the spirit of an in-line tight end and flashes what it takes to execute blocks, but he’s missing the mass and play strength for one to confidently project him as a pro blocker at this point. While McLachlan has short arms and average speed, he still finds ways to go get the football outside his frame and does whatever it takes to add yards after catch. There are boxes that go unchecked, but his “whatever it takes” mentality is the kind of intangible that often turns prospects into pros.

This pick is a clear balancing of the scales at the position in the draft. Earlier on Day 3, they added Erick All out of Iowa, whose medicals make him a risk — but he boasts fantastic upside.

At this stage of his career, McLachlan doesn’t project to have a similar ceiling, but if the team can get a Tanner Hudson-style performance out of him every now and then, it’s a really good pick.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals select Arizona TE Tanner McLachlan in sixth round, 194th overall

The Bengals have made a pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals added another tight end in the 2024 NFL draft with Arizona’s Tanner McLachlan at No. 194.

McLachlan, 6’5″ and 244 pounds, caught 45 passes for 528 yards and four scores last season and was Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 Conference.

A strong blocker and capable weapon in the passing game, McLachlan is yet another answer at the tight end depth chart after adding Mike Gesicki, re-signing two others and losing depth like Mitchell Wilcox this offseason.

In the fourth round, the Bengals picked Iowa tight end Erick All, then followed that up in the fifth round by finding a pro-ready cornerback with TCU’s Josh Newton.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman posts Instagram story directed at haters following contract extension

Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman posted an Instagram story directed at haters following his contract extension

The Baltimore Ravens signed wide receiver Rashod Bateman to an extension through 2026 on Wednesday. The deal shows that the team has a massive amount of belief in the wideout, especially with a big role upcoming for the fourth-year wideout.

Following the extension, Bateman took to Instagram and posted a story seemingly pointed at his haters. The message of the video calls out non-believers, with many reacting to the story on social media once Bateman posted it.

Bateman has faced plenty of scrutiny since joining the Ravens as a first-round pick in 2021, largely due to his inconsistent production compared to his lofty expectations. The former Minnesota star will get the opportunity to prove himself this season, something he already seems eager to do.

Instant analysis of Bengals picking Josh Newton in the fifth round

Instant analysis after the Bengals make a pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals finally addressed the secondary in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, adding TCU cornerback Josh Newton at No. 149.

Newton, a 5’11”, 190-pound defender, had Bengals pick written all over him. He had a First-team All-Big 12 Conference selection on his resume, played five seasons at a high level and has some positional versatility, too.

As NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein pointed out, Newton is the type of physical defender Lou Anarumo likes in his secondary:

A well-built cornerback with inside/outside versatility, Newton’s 2022 tape was slightly better than his 2023 film. He’s capable in press and is made for old-fashioned Cover 2 looks where he can redirect the release and sink into zone coverage. Newton plays tall in space, creating inconsistencies in transitioning to match routes and he will lose downfield to speedsters. He’s competitive and physical at the catch point and is willing to do his part in run support. He has good football makeup, but it seems like he’s more likely to be around an NFL receiver rather than actively making plays on the ball.

Newton is a fantastic value in the fifth round and arrives as an instant competition for that fourth cornerback slot against the likes of DJ Ivey.

What’s interesting is where Newton ends up over the long-term. He can play inside, but former first-rounder Dax Hill might end up as the replacement for Mike Hilton.

But boundary corner depth is interesting, too, because the team needed insurance behind Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner.

Realistically, no team is making it through a season without leaning notably on fourth and fifth corners. The fact Newton is more of a veteran college players vs. a guy with high upside says a lot about the team’s intent with the pick.

Also making this a quality pick is the fact the Bengals still have — as of this writing — four picks over the final two rounds, where they can address less-premier positions such as running back.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Ravens select Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa with pick No. 130 overall in 2024 NFL draft

Ravens select Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa with pick No. 130 overall in 2024 NFL draft

The Ravens have added multiple cornerbacks in the NFL draft after selecting Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa with pick No. 130 overall.

Mel Kiper Jr. called this “one of the steals of the draft,” Tampa is already familiar with Nate Wiggins after they were roommates at the NFL scouting combine.

Tampa was the sixth-ranked cornerback on Kiper’s final rankings and was the 38th-best prospect overall.

Tampa and Wiggins bring speed, depth, and athleticism to a secondary, with Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and Arthur Maulet as the top cornerbacks on the depth chart. Last season, Tampa allowed one touchdown on nearly 400 coverage snaps, and he exits Iowa State with 24 career pass breakups.

Bengals select TCU CB Josh Newton in fifth round, 149th overall

The Bengals have made their pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected TCU cornerback Josh Newton in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The 149th overall pick, Newton is a 5’11” defender with positional versatility who hits on a big need on the depth chart.

While Dax Hill might make the shift to corner, the team needed further depth behind Mike Hilton, DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt. Newton presents the pro-ready ability to help right away, if necessary.

To start Day 3 of the draft, the Bengals used a fourth-round pick on Iowa’s Erick All, a long-term selection for Joe Burrow’s offense at the critical tight end position.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

WATCH: Highlights of Bengals’ Erick All in college

Some highlights of the newest Bengals weapon.

The Cincinnati Bengals picked up another weapon for Joe Burrow’s offense with an extensive highlight reel in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Said weapon is Erick All, an explosive all-around tight end who, at least based on the highlights, looks like he could become a favorite target of Burrow in a hurry.

As noted in our breakdown of the pick, there are some medical concerns with All.

But based on the film and highlights, it is clear that if his body can hold up, the Bengals might have a steal of a value.

Here’s a look at some clips and highlights:

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Instant analysis of Bengals picking Erick All in the fourth round

Instant analysis after the Bengals make a notable pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals took one of their super-obvious targets in the 2024 NFL draft’s fourth round, adding Iowa’s Erick All at No. 115.

All was yet another top-30 visit for the Bengals, which so far has almost guaranteed that they select the prospect.

But All might be more interesting than any other pick in the class through four rounds. He’s a local Fairfield, Ohio, prospect at 6’4″ and 252 pounds who appears to have a very well-rounded game.

ESPN’s Steve Muench summed up All’s game in a way that the Bengals surely agreed with on their own reports:

All suffered season-ending injuries each of the past two years, but there’s a lot to like about his tape. He runs hard and can make the first defender miss after the catch. He tracks the ball well and has the speed to make plays down the seam. All is smooth getting in and out of breaks as a route runner. He has the ability to make contested catches over the middle. He gets good initial pop as a blocker in the run game.

The problem, though, is those injury woes, as noted by Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic:

The medical questions could mean All redshirts as a rookie while recovering. That meshes with the fact the team added Mike Gesicki in free agency and re-signed Tanner Hudson and Drew Sample, too.

One’s opinion on this pick will mostly come down to value vs. risk, then. It’s perhaps worth wondering if the team might have been able to get All a little later in the draft. But the counterpoint is that another player picked in the fourth round might not have seen the field much, either.

This is very much going to be one of those hindsight evaluations. In a few years’ time, All could very easily be the team’s top tight end and a legit threat on every down.

Right now, it’s a high-upside gamble just outside the top 100 and doesn’t necessarily stop the team from addressing the position again later.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals select Iowa TE Erick All in fourth round, 115th overall

The Bengals have made their pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals waited until the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft to address the tight end position, selecting Iowa’s Erick All.

All was a prospect the Bengals expressed heavy interest in during the pre-draft process. His well-rounded, pro-ready game will give him a shot at contributing right away.

The Bengals added Mike Gesicki and re-signed both Tanner Hudson and Drew Sample this offseason, so All is a future-minded pick.

Over the first two days of the draft, the Bengals added Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims in the first round, then Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. With two third-round picks, they added Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton and McKinnley Jackson, a defensive tackle out of Texas A&M.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals ‘coveted’ Jer’Zhan Newton but cost to trade up was too high

The Bengals apparently liked Jer’Zhan Newton, but not enough to trade up.

Jer’Zhan Newton was a very common mock draft target for the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

As it usually happens, the draft didn’t pan out that way — Newton came off the board at No. 36 overall to Washington, just four picks into Friday’s second round.

But it does sound like the Bengals were tracking Newton’s movements closely.

This blurb from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com hints that the price to move up in that mid-30s range was simply too steep:

In order to get him, they had to wait 10 excruciating picks after Braden Fiske became the fourth D-Tackle to go in five selections. The guy they coveted, Illinois’ Johhny Newton, was too far to go get and was gone by the fourth pick of the day at No. 36.

The writeup does stress that eventual 49th pick Kris Jenkins was a massive target for the front office, too. In fact, Bengals personnel were more than happy to admit in post-pick pressers that they were sweating a lot while waiting to see if the Michigan standout would fall.

To address life post-DJ Reader, the Bengals grabbed Jenkins and then McKinnley Jackson at No. 97, though what’s interesting is none really appear to offer the pass-rush that Newton can from the middle.

Either way, it sounds like Newton will be one of those what if? narratives to watch in the coming years.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]