While the Bengals did not address linebacker this offseason, they filled most other needs through trades, free agency and the NFL Draft.

After trading for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing free agent defensive end Boye Mafe and free agent defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, they selected defensive end Cashius Howell in the second round and added Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson in the seventh round.

They drafted 6-foot-4 cornerback Tacario Davis in the third round to add depth at outside cornerback, potentially allowing Dax Hill to shift back inside while providing some future insurance if the team can't extend Hill or cornerback DJ Turner.

They desperately needed to add offensive line depth and did so by taking center Connor Lew in the fourth round, who dropped to that round only because he is coming off knee surgery, although he is expected to be cleared well in advance of the start of training camp. Then in the sixth round the Bengals selected St. Xavier High School grad Brian Parker II, who can potentially play all five offensive line positions.

They were hoping to add a wide receiver in the draft who could compete with Andrei Iosivas for snaps at No. 3 wide receiver and took 6-foot-5, 218-pound Colbie Young with a second fourth-round pick they added when they dealt the No. 110 overall pick and No. 199 overall pick to the New York Jets for the No. 128 pick (Lew) and No. 140 pick, which they used on Young. Young's traits are more impressive than his college production, but he has a high ceiling.

That seemed to be the case with almost each of their seven draft picks.

"They all have a lot of upside," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. "That’s the cleanest way I can say it. They are all really talented players. We brought them in here because we see a high upside with all those guys. Excited about the whole group."

That includes tight end Jack Endries, who was taken with the first of two seventh-round picks. He was projected as a fourth-round pick, but fell for unknown reasons and told reporters he would make teams that passed on him, "(blanking) pay."

It has been clear this offseason that the Bengals were trying to make the defensive line a major team strength and it is really deep. The potential starters at ends are Mafe and 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy, with 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart and Howell competing for snaps and playing at worst in a rotational role. Lawrence filled a huge need at nose tackle and will probably make TJ Slaton a salary cap cut, while the tackles opposite Lawrence are veteran BJ Hill and Allen with 2024 second-round pick Kris Jenkins also in the mix.

The Bengals also this offseason signed veteran safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger and cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor to compete with Jalen Davis at slot corner.

"From a talent standpoint, we're in a really good place," said Taylor. "From a leadership standpoint, we're in a really good place. Now, you have to actually go do the work. It's fun to talk about this stuff in the offseason. This is where we are up to this point. There's no work we could have really done on the field or anything like that, or from a chemistry standpoint. Now, it's up to the players and coaches to put it all together. That's going to require a lot of work on the field, in the locker room, off the field, but I'm excited about the group that we're going to go do it with."

The one thing the Bengals haven't done this offseason is address linebacker and for now seem ready to move forward with second-year players Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter, who both started as rookies and struggled. Behind them is veteran Oren Burks, who has primarily been a backup and special teams player in his career and very little proven talent.

Taylor said it's possible the team still might sign a veteran free agent with starting experience.

"We'll have those conversations now that the draft is over," Taylor said. "It's one of those situations where there is value at other positions that we didn't want to pass up. Linebackers before you got a chance to get the next guy that you would have wanted. That's the way the draft always goes. That's how free agency goes sometimes. We do have lot of belief in the room that we have so those guys will continue to compete and if we do something after the draft that remains to be seen."

Bengals Overall Grade: A-minus

The Skinny: While not addressing linebacker seems egregious they did get a lot of value from most of their picks and even the ones they didn't - like Davis and Young - have measurables and high ceilings. The Bengals filled some key needs and added some possible starting caliber players for years to come, so it was hard not to be impressed with what they did.