Darnell Wright's impressive combine could rise him out of Bengals' range
The offensive tackle from Tennessee had an impressive weekend in Indianapolis.
Offensive tackles will always be in high demand in the NFL. No matter how many of high quality are playing, there will always be teams who need them desperately.
The Cincinnati Bengals have fallen into this bucket many a time in recent years. And 2023 will be no different.
Targeting an edge protector with their first-round pick makes a ton of sense for the Bengals, but with players like Darnell Wright impressing at the NFL combine, the likelihood of one falling 28 spots in the NFL Draft seems slim.
Wright measured in at just over 330 pounds in Indianapolis and carried that weight fabulously in the positional and testing drills. Kent Lee Platte's Relative Athletic Score him scoring highly after clocking a 5.01 in the 40-yard dash.
The former Tennessee Volunteer has been projected to land late in the first round or possibly sneaking in round two after thriving at right tackle for the Vols in 2022. Measuring in at his size and moving extremely well following a career-defining year makes that hard to believe now.
Cincinnati is also not known to be aggressive on draft night. When they conduct trades, they move backwards to collect additional picks, not forwards and sacrificing them for one player. Wright won't be that exception to the rule should a team earlier in the pecking order land on him.
The long-term and short-term are at stake for both of the Bengals' tackle spots. Jonah Williams is entering the last year of his contract, and La'el Collins may not be able to start the regular season while recovering from ACL surgery.
Wright would make an ideal replacement for either one. The question will be if they even get that chance now.
Featured Image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
