[BFritz]

Amazing draft- no reaches, and only picks to strengthen the team because we had no major glaring needs, but rather only room for upgrades. I do think that we needed a safety early, but, with a solid pass rush and an improved run D, we should be alright with what we have.

1) Jermaine Gresham (TE) = Excellent pick. If anyone saw the sad excuse for a TE that was Daniel Coats last year, it was obvious that this was the Bengals' most glaring need.

Amazing pick- would have been a top ten pick if he had come out last year, but the injury dropped him from the top of the boards. However, his injury was only to cartilage in the knee, but no major parts, and is completely healed.

Gresham is projected to be the best tight end since Gonzo, and has Pro Bowl potential, if not more potential.

Safeties and backers can stay in the box to cover the run and the backers can get in the passing lanes with no threat in the middle to keep them between the seams. Meanwhile, the safeties can play the run or double receivers over the top with no threat up the seam to catch the ball. Gresham solves both of those problems.

Carson needs a check-down receiver if all else fails, and Gresham also fills that need.

We have struggled in the red zone to score touchdowns and Gresham gives Carson a HUGE target near the endzone that can be physical and push people around.

Lastly, it improves play action by 200000000000000000% because defenders have to worry about whether Gresham's releasing to block or to sprint up the seam, and good luck with backers being fast enough to respect the run AND cover him and with safeties being big enough to man-up with him.

(Anyone else have a man-crush or is it just me :notworthy)

2) Carlos Dunlap (DE) = Questionable pick. I know most experts are saying this is a boom-or-bust player, considering that he has first-round talent but later-round maturity. But my issue is that with Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers, and Michael Johnson as the top 3 DE's, this was not a position of need. Would have liked to see a safety here, more on that later...

We didn't have too many positions of need other than tight end (and possibly safety), and most solid pass rush defenses in the NFL have a solid rotation of their pass rushers to keep the pass rushers fresh.

3) Jordan Shipley (WR) = Excellent pick. The Bengals really missed having a guy like Housh last year, and Shipley seems to have the skills and toughness to go over the middle. Fills a need for a #3 receiver behing the starters.

Especially since the best offense against a 3-4 defense, which our division plays, is a three receiver set with a tight end and lone setback, and not to mention that Benson works well as a lone setback.

Shipley also brings a dangerous weapon to our return game, and while I think that Cosby has us set as a punt returner and Bernard Scott did well as a kick returner, I believe that he could bring an explosiveness to our kickoff returns that we've been missing.

3) Brandon Ghee (CB) = Good pick. The Bengals didn't have a reliable nickel corner last year, so this fills a need. Also may start if they can't re-sign Jonathan Joseph next year.

Not a bad pick at all, but I'm still hoping that they can keep one of the league's best corner pair in tact with Hall and Joseph.