Like a lot of teams, the Bengals figure to be in the pass rush business in this year’s draft. Bengals Defensive Coordinator Paul Guenther likes what he’s seen of the group at this early point of the draft process.
“It’s as good a pass rusher draft that I can remember,” Guenther told the team’s official website. “As far as inside guys, outside guys, linebackers, where guys are well schooled with moves and hands.
“You’re just looking for guys that have the traits you’re looking for. You’re looking for guys with a long reach, but they also have to have the quickness and burst, too. [There aren’t] many 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6 defensive ends that can play at a high level. They wouldn’t get to us at [the No. 9 overall pick].”
The Bengals could go a number of different directions with that No. 9 pick, including somewhere on the offensive side of the ball. If they go defense -- something for which Guenther will certainly campaign -- he said he believes the Bengals could add a quality player at every level of their defense.
“There’s going to be a good player there at No. 9,” Guenther said. “At the top end of the draft there are a lot of very good defensive players. It’s not like one, two, three and then it falls off the shelf.”
