49ers Trade No. 104 To Bengals
The Bengals have acquired pick No. 104 from the 49ers, reports Matt Maiocco NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter). The 49ers acquired a third-rounder (No. 110) and a pair of sixth-rounders (No. 183, No. 198).
The Bengals will use the pick on NC State quarterback Ryan Finley. Following two seasons with Boise State, Finley had the opportunity to start for NC State over the past three seasons. He finished the 2018 campaign having completed 67.4-percent of his passes for 3,928 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Finley shouldn’t supplant Andy Dalton for playing time, but he should at least push the veteran. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes that Finley was the only quarterback prospect the Bengals hosted during the pre-draft process.
Draft Notes: Bills, Jaguars, Bengals
The Bills selected Oklahoma offensive tackle Cody Ford in the second round, but it sounds like the team was willing to take him even earlier. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Buffalo tried to trade back into the first round in order to draft Ford. Ultimately, the price proved to be “too rich.”
As we mentioned, the Bills still managed to land Ford at No. 38. The leaves the Bills with 14 offensive lineman on their current roster, so the team will surely have some intriguing competitions come training camp. The team has added five free agent linemen this offseason in Mitch Morse, Spencer Long, Ty Nsekhe, Jon Feliciano, and LaAdrian Waddle.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor was expected to be a top-10 pick, but he ended up falling to the Jaguars at No. 35. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Taylor fell because of medical concerns, as teams were wary of the Florida product’s meniscus issue. Fortunately, Rapoport says the issue isn’t “structural.”
- The Jaguars shocked most pundits when they selected Murray State linebacker Quincy Williams in the third round last night. As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com points out, Williams (who is the brother of third-overall pick Quinnen Williams) wasn’t among the 400 players scouted by NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, nor was he on the list of 730 prospects compiled by The Athletics’ Arif Hasan. The linebacker wasn’t invited to the Combine and Murray State didn’t have a Pro Day, leading Williams to assume he was going to go undrafted. “For me coming from a small school and didn’t get a combine invite, yeah, I kind of did,” Williams said. “Then I had to go to Pro Day somewhere else, so most people thought I was a safety or a smaller linebacker, so yeah it was a thought in my mind. But then I know my abilities, and I believe in myself.”
- The Bengals used the 11th-overall pick on Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams, leading some to wonder what would happen with Cordy Glenn. As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer points out (on Twitter), the veteran has started every snap of his career at left tackle, but he may be forced to move to right tackle or left guard. Furthermore, he gave up the most pressures and earned the worst Pro Football Focus grade of his career in 2018. Dehner ultimately wonders if a position change could rejuvenate the 29-year-old’s career.
Broncos Trade Up For Drew Lock
The Broncos will be making back-to-back picks in Round 2. They will send the Bengals two late-round picks to do so.
Denver will ship Cincinnati fourth- and sixth-round picks, along with No. 52 overall, to move into position to go back-to-back. After choosing Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner with the No. 41 overall selection, the Broncos traded up to take Drew Lock.
Linked to the Missouri-developed quarterback before their Joe Flacco trade, the Broncos indeed made the move. Mentioned by many to be headed to the Broncos at No. 10 overall, the four-year college starter will head to Denver as Flacco’s backup 32 picks later. The Broncos moved ahead of the Dolphins, Lions and Packers — who each visited with Lock — in this deal.
While Flacco lost his job to 2018 No. 32 overall pick Lamar Jackson, the Broncos may be eyeing a longer-term developmental project by getting Lock here. John Elway mentioned the 2020 quarterback crop. A second-round quarterback investment this year probably doesn’t remove the Broncos from that discussion, but Lock’s development will now heavily factor into their decision on that front.
Lock completed a career-high 63 percent of his throws last season, and as a junior in 2017, the Kansas City, Mo., native threw 44 touchdown passes. Certainly, this will put Flacco — who has no guaranteed money left on his deal — under far more pressure than it appeared he would be coming into Round 2.
Redskins’ Daniel Jones Interest Prompted Giants’ Pick?
At this time Thursday, a divide was believed to have existed among Redskins brass as to whether Dwayne Haskins or Daniel Jones was the right quarterback in which to invest. This may have played into the Giants’ thinking.
The Giants chose Jones at No. 6, prompted plenty of scrutiny. New York took the Duke-developed passer earlier than most expected because of concerns Washington or another team would swoop in before the team’s No. 17 overall pick, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports.
While teams between Nos. 6 and 17 worried the Giants, they also feared the Redskins would trade in front of them — with either the Jets or the Raiders — at 6 to select Jones, per Vacchiano. Potential Bengals and Dolphins interest in Jones also influenced the Giants to act quicker than expected on a quarterback.
The Giants are still planning to start Eli Manning in 2019, and Dave Gettleman said the longtime starter may keep his job into next season. While Manning’s contract expires after 2019, he has said he plans to play in 2020. The Giants have also indicated they would not mind having him back next season. But Jones is now the heir apparent, and having chosen him at No. 6 overall, the Giants are still in need of an edge rusher entering Day 2 of the draft.
New York left Josh Allen on the board to take Jones and took defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence at No. 17. An outside linebacker likely resides as the Giants’ top need as of Friday afternoon.
Bengals Pick Up William Jackson’s Option
The Bengals have exercised their fifth-year option on cornerback William Jackson, according to a team announcement. The additional year keeps him under control through 2020, though it is guaranteed for injury only. 
Chosen with the No. 24 overall pick in 2016, Jackson missed his entire rookie year due to injury. In his re-do year, he mostly served as a backup. However, he started in all 16 of the Bengals’ games last year and tallied 41 tackles. For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 26th best cornerback in the entire NFL, despite the fact that he did not record a single interception.
Jackson is just the latest 2016 first-round pick to have his fifth-year option exercised. To keep track of every decision, check out PFR’s running list, which will be updated between now and the May 3 deadline.
Bengals Waive Adolphus Washington
The Bengals have waived Adolphus Washington, according to a team announcement. The Bengals signed the defensive tackle off of the Cowboys’ taxi squad last season, but he won’t be a part of the club for 2019. 
[RELATED: Bengals Work Out RB Rod Smith]
Washington had six tackles and a sack for the Bengals across four appearances last year. Prior to that, his only in-game experience came with the Bills across two seasons and change. The third-round pick hasn’t really met expectations, though he did have 3.5 sacks across his two full seasons in Buffalo.
Ultimately, Washington was somewhat redundant for the Bengals. The club is set to roll with Geno Atkins, Andrew Billings, Ryan Glasgow, Josh Tupou, Christian Ringo, and Niles Scott on the interior line this offseason.
Bengals Could Draft Quarterback Early?
The Bengals have a big offseason ahead of them. It’s the first year of the Zac Taylor era after the team finally fired Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons. Cincinnati has Andy Dalton at quarterback, but they might not be sold on him as the longterm answer. As such, the Bengals could very realistically use their first round pick on a quarterback, according to a panel on NFL Network (video Twitter link).
Bengals owner Mike Brown recently said the team wasn’t in any rush to extend Dalton and indicated the TCU product would need to prove himself this season, so this isn’t too surprising. Last week we heard that Dalton, who ended last year on injured reserve after undergoing thumb surgery, would be fully healthy for the offseason program.
On the panel, Mike Garafolo said he talked to other teams picking near the Bengals, and stated “other teams are watching them saying ‘that is a potential landing spot for a quarterback.'” Garafolo points out that quarterback needy teams like the Dolphins and Redskins pick after the Bengals, and there’s a good chance they’ll need to jump ahead of Cincinnati if they want a signal-caller.
One interesting nugget that could bode well for Dalton is that the only top quarterback the Bengals have brought into their building for a visit is N.C. State’s Ryan Finley, according to Ian Rapoport. Finley “has a shot at being a second rounder,” Rapoport says, but isn’t a realistic option for the Bengals with the 11th overall pick. The Bengals could draft Finley sometime on Day 2 and let him be the backup initially without having a quarterback controversy on their hands.
That being said, that doesn’t mean the Bengals won’t draft a passer who they haven’t hosted on an official visit. Rapsheet notes that the team “spent some time” with Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins around his pro day, and he could be a target if he slips to them. Thanks to having five sixth round picks, the Bengals own 11 picks overall in the upcoming draft, and they will be one of the more interesting teams to monitor in Nashville.
Complete 2019 NFL International Pathway Program
Moritz Boehringer is back in the NFL. The German tight end, who became the first European player ever to be drafted without playing American college football back in 2016, has been allocated to the Bengals as part of the league’s international pathway program, per Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com.
Boehringer’s assignment to the Bengals completes this year’s program. Each season, teams in two divisions get a roster exemption to develop a player from another country. The player can be the 91st man on offseason rosters, and can be an 11th player on practice squads during the regular season. Boehringer was drafted by the Vikings, but spent his rookie season on the practice squad without ever appearing in a game. He came into the league as a receiver, but has since transitioned to tight end. He was with the Bengals as part of this program last year, and will be back in Cincy in 2019.
Here’s a list of the rest of the players selected to participate:
Baltimore Ravens
- FB Christopher Ezeala
Buffalo Bills
- RB Christian Wade
Cleveland Browns
- DB Tigie Sankoh
Miami Dolphins
- DT Durval Neto
New England Patriots
- TE/FB Jakob Johnson
New York Jets
- RB/WR/KR Valentine Holmes
Pittsburgh Steelers
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
The AFC North participated last year, but this year the AFC East is taking the place of the NFC South. Notably, Efe Obada was a participant in the program with the Panthers last year, and he went on to make Carolina’s 53-man roster last season. He was re-signed this offseason.
Each of the players assigned to the AFC North were with those teams last year. Scotland-Williamson is a former rugby player, while Boehringer, Sankoh, and Ezeala all played American football overseas before making the leap.
All of the AFC East players are new to the program. Given the Patriots’ track record of finding hidden gems, Johnson will likely end up leading the league in receiving yards at some point. Johnson was signed from the German football league. Neto was playing football in Brazil before being added to the Dolphins. Wade and Holmes are both former prominent rugby players.
NFL Draft Rumors: Taylor, Ford, Sweat
Florida offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor met with the Bengals on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Taylor, who stands 6’5″ and 328 pounds, certainly has the size requirements favored by new Cincinnati offensive line coach Jim Turner, but it’s unclear if the ex-Gator will be available when the Bengals make their first-round selection at No. 11. Along with Jonah Williams (Alabama), Andre Dillard (Washington State), and Cody Ford (Oklahoma), Taylor is considered one of the best tackle prospects available in the 2019 draft. If selected by the Bengals, Taylor could immediately take over at right tackle, displacing the recently re-signed Bobby Hart, and would be a long-term option to replace Cordy Glenn on the blindside.
Here’s more on the 2019 NFL draft:
- Speaking of Ford, the Oklahoma offensive lineman has been extremely busy during the pre-draft season. Per Aaron Wilson the Houston Chronicle, Ford has met with and/or worked out for the Patriots, Eagles, Buccaneers, Vikings, Texans, Cardinals, and Falcons. That’s in addition to his previously-reported stops with the Bengals and Panthers. Ford was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2018 and helped Oklahoma win the Joe Moore Award, given to the country’s best offensive line. A left guard in both 2016 and 2017, Ford shifted to right tackle for the 2018 campaign.
- The Texans are meeting with Mississippi State edge rusher Montez Sweat on Wednesday, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Sweat is considered of the best defensive ends in the draft (especially after blowing up the combine), so Houston would likely need to trade up from No. 23 overall in order to land him. After starting his collegiate career at Michigan State, Sweat spent two years with the Bulldogs, racking up 22.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss during that time.
- Washington cornerback Byron Murphy has met with the Panthers, Chiefs, and Cardinals in addition to his visit with the Steelers, tweets Wilson. In 2018, Murphy earned a spot on the first-team All-Pac-12 list after putting up 37 tackles, four interceptions, and 13 interceptions. Regarded as a first-round pick by most observers, Murphy is the No. 6 overall player on Pro Football Focus’ draft board after allowing only a 47.7% completion percentage against and forcing 17 incompletions.
- The Rams hosted Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram on Tuesday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Abram, who has also met with the Cowboys and Cardinals, is part of a closely-clustered safety class that could start coming off the board at the end of the first round. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, notably, ranks Abram as the No. 1 safety prospect of 2019. Arbam posted two interceptions, three sacks, and nine tackles for loss last year.
Bengals Work Out RB Rod Smith
One of Ezekiel Elliott‘s backups the past two seasons, Rod Smith received an opportunity to potentially catch on elsewhere.
The Bengals worked out Smith recently, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This is the first Smith-related news of the offseason.
A former Seahawks UDFA whom the Cowboys relied upon during Elliott’s 2017 suspension, Smith totaled 434 yards and five touchdowns from scrimmage during his first year as a Cowboys contributor. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry that season. However, Smith — older brother of Dallas linebacker Jaylon Smith — posted just a 2.9-yard average on 44 2018 carries.
Cincinnati has not added to its backfield this offseason, but the team is fairly well-stocked with Giovani Bernard backing up Joe Mixon. Though, little depth exists behind the Bengals’ top duo. 2018 UDFA Quinton Flowers resides as the only other running back on Cincinnati’s roster.