66 players down. 24 to go.

The offseason is entering the next stage for the Cincinnati Bengals. Less than four weeks remain until the NFL Draft. Less than $16 million in top-51 salary cap space remains. At least one franchise-altering extension looms over Paycor Stadium. 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Free agency ended up moderately successful for the back-to-back AFC North champs. Left tackle was upgraded, spots at safety and tight end were filled, depth at offensive line and cornerback found.

Becoming completely need-free entering the Draft wasn't accomplished, but they're closer now than they were a week ago.

What needs remain as we go full throttle into Draft season? Let's lay it all out.

Right tackle

The moment La'el Collins went down with a torn ACL in Week 16 of last season, everything became cloudy at right tackle for this year. No one knows when Collins will be fully recovered, only that it won't be in time for the season's start. This made the team look into the right tackle market initially before realizing they had a rare chance to land an upgrade at left tackle in Orlando Brown Jr.  

Signing Brown had ramifications that weren't unforeseen, but tricky nonetheless. Incumbent left tackle Jonah Williams wants no part in moving over to right tackle. If they can't rely on him to make the move, that leaves the team with Jackson Carman, Cody Ford, and a whole bunch of nothing while Collins recovers at his pace.

All of this goes away if the Bengals wait out for Williams to take his L and start the transition to right tackle. Until that happens (if it happens), this should be priority No. 1. 

Ideal Draft fit: Darnell Wright, Tennessee  

By all accounts, Wright should be gone in the first 27 picks. The Draft has seen more unlikely fallers, and his consensus still ranks him right at 26. 

Carrying 330+ pounds with elite athleticism, Wright has experience playing both right and left tackle and shut down basically every SEC edge rusher he faced for the Vols last season. The Bengals should sprint to the podium if he's there for the taking.

Stats to know: Wright ranks in the 97th percentile in explosion and 98th percentile in speed for tackles relative to his size.  

Running back

This is about pairing a shotgun, gap-scheme runner with an offense built for Joe Burrow and his weapons. That running back can be Joe Mixon at the moment, but preferably not at his current salary. The value of an individual running back will always be under scrutiny considering how much the position's success is dependent on several other factors. 

Speaking of Mixon, he received the opposite of a ringing endorsement from executive VP and de facto team boss Katie Blackburn.

Woof the difference between reading the answer and hearing it is astounding pic.twitter.com/8d1CEpvvQS

— John Sheeran (@John__Sheeran) March 30, 2023

What about a tailback who can create on his own, whether that be forcing missed tackles or just outrunning them? Those are the guys who should be celebrated, and you don't have to look in the first two rounds to find them. Unfortunately for Mixon, he doesn't fit either characterization 95% of the time. 

The best thing he has going for Mixon this deep into his career is his receiving ability. Finding that in a long-term replacement should also be on the checklist.

Ideal Draft fit: Tyjae Spears, Tulane

Spears set the AAC ablaze this past year, and did the same thing at the Senior Bowl. Who's to say he won't have an immediate impact in an offense that's tailor made for him? They may need to get him in the third round.  

Stats to know: Spears was fourth in Pro Football Focus' elusive rating (145.8) and second in yards after contact per attempt (4.55) amongst FBS running backs last with at least 170 carries last year.

Tight end

This would be at least the second-highest need had the team not signed Irv Smith Jr. this week. Smith's injury history coupled with the fact that his deal is only for one year still makes the long-term outlook at tight end extremely questionable. But if everything goes to plan, the Bengals' 11 personnel offense will have its starter for the year.

Even if Smith was a beacon of durability, tight ends usually get banged up through the season, and there's simply nothing behind him on the depth chart. Short-term and long-term answers are needed.

Ideal Draft fit: Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State

There's no denying the Bengals' interest in first-round hopefuls Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid, but a top-30 pick at tight end rarely nets in positive return on investment. 

The premier combination of value and fit is Kraft, who's got the burst and build to threaten defenses as a receiver, and survive in the trenches. He dominated against his competition and tested like an above average athlete compared to his FBS peers, which is all you can ask for from an FCS prospect. He'll likely go sometime between the end of the second round, and beginning of the third. Pick No. 60 seems like the perfect landing spot.

Stats to know: Kraft was third in yards per route run (2.32) last season amongst FBS and FCS tight ends with 30+ targets. The only two ahead of him? Mayer and Kincaid. He was also fifth in yards after catch per reception (7.7).

Cornerback

Adding Sidney Jones IV as the next version of Eli Apple, sans the Twitter antics, was a wise move for Cincinnati's defense. Jones is adept in zone coverage and will be tasked with plenty of it should he see the field as Lou Anarumo's new third boundary cornerback. 

A fourth guy to groom behind Chidobe Awuzie would be extremely wise. The Bengals have become allergic to giving out third multi-year contracts, and Awuzie is coming off a torn ACL. For a franchise that historically invests premium draft capital in the position, this can't be ignored.

Ideal Draft fit: Carrington Valentine, Kentucky

*Cris Collinsworth voice* Now here's a guy who's gonna be a late riser. The Moeller high school alum and Cincinnati native has ideal size at 6-0 with 32" arms, incredible all-around athleticism, and had equally incredible production at Kentucky. 

He's projected to go late on Day 3 right now, but he may end up being a mid-round pick when it's all said and done.

Stats to know: On top of his 9.28 out of 10 Relative Athletic Score, Valentine's solo tackle market share is in the 95th percentile. His pass deflection market share is just below the 84th percentile. 

3-technique

Wait, doesn't B.J. Hill still exist? Yes, as does 2022 third-round pick Zach Carter behind him. But what Hill and Carter both lack is some pass-rushing burst. That's the missing piece for an already really good defensive line in Cincinnati. 

If Anarumo can get his hands on an under tackle with explosion and power to threaten the interior of the pocket, that makes the jobs of Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard easier, and it puts less pressure on Hill, who played a career-high 977 snaps in 2022. You can never have too many good pass rushers.

Ideal Draft fit: Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma

Redmond fits the bill of a moldable pocket disruptor that can be found sometime on Day 3. While he's on the older side (turned 24 this month), he's arguably the best athlete out of all interior pass rushers this Draft. His get-off is undeniably his best strength. With some time to develop his hand usage, he can be a useful rotational piece on passing downs.

Stats to know: Redmond's all-around athleticism is exemplified by testing above the 93rd percentile in speed (95th), explosion (93rd), and flexibility (94th) for his size at 6-2, 291.

Punter

The thought of Drue Chrisman line-driving punts for another season doesn't sit well with most Bengals fans, and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons likely agrees. Competition is most definitely needed, so much so that a draft pick may actually be used on one. 

Ideal Draft fit: Michael Turk, Oklahoma

For any team that needs a punter, the best one in the Draft is the obvious fit. Turk will go sometime on Day 3.

Stats to know: During his four years in college, Turk's average hang time was 4.21 seconds. 

Other positions to watch: Edge rusher, wide receiver, quarterback