Defensive grades for Steelers and their rivals entering 2022 draft
By Austin Lloyd
Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Grade: B
Right off the bat, it is important to note that the Bengals defense is impactfully younger than the aforementioned Ravens defense. According to the Bengals website, there is only one defensive player on the active roster that exceeds the age of 30 (S Michael Thomas, 32).
With that in mind, there is not only decent talent on the Bengals defense, but a good deal of it should still have plenty of time to improve and solidify its abilities on the field. Some of this younger talent includes safety Jessie Bates III, defensive end Sam Hubbard, and linebacker Logan Wilson–all of which are currently under the age of 27.
And while Cincinnati may be known more for its offensive prowess as of late, the defense was still formidable enough to help the Bengals in their quest to Super Bowl LVI. Especially when considering that such a quest involved facing fellow offensive squads like the Kansas City Chiefs, that counts for something.
In time, the Bengals could have a frightening defense, but today it shouldn’t be regarded as much more than “decent.”