Bengals: QB Joe Burrow
Others considered: OT Jonah Williams, FS Jessie Bates
Before Ben Roethlisberger’s die-hards go jumping down my throat, allow me to explain my reasoning behind this selection. Unlike the Browns and Ravens, the Bengals aren’t loaded with talent at every position. In fact, there are only a handful of players on their roster that I think would start over what Pittsburgh currently has.
There were really only two players I considered. Offensive tackle Jonah Williams landed on IR in his first season and was just an average tackle in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus. Though I could have paired him with Ronnie Stanley, he may not be worth using the selection on. Jessie Bates was the other name I considered, as Bates is one of the best young safeties in the league. However, because he plays the same position as Minkah Fitzpatrick, and because Terrell Edmunds was not a weak spot last year, I passed on the idea.
The only other position the Bengals are really known for at the moment is wide receiver, and Tee Higgins or rookie Ja’Marr Chase could have been options, but the Steelers have a very deep receiving corps as it is. Because of this, I went with quarterback Joe Burrow. If Ben Roethlisberger goes down, the Steelers aren’t going to be able to win a Super Bowl with Mason Rudolph. Additionally, if Big Ben really struggles this season and just isn’t getting the job done in his old age, the Steelers could turn to a young quarterback who was very impressive before his ACL tear to give them a boost in 2021.
At the end of the day, this is obviously a scenario that will never play out in real life, but it’s interesting to think about. Let me know which player you would take from each AFC North team in the comments!