Joe Burrow and the Bengals have shocked the world and will be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl; are there any players on their roster that George Paton and new Head Coach, Nathaniel Hackett, should look to add to the Denver Broncos?
On a team that is powered by an emergence of youth, the backbone of the Cincinnati Bengals core should remain intact.
However, there are always players that get poached from championship teams, just ask the 2015 Super Bowl Champions, the Denver Broncos. I’ve got a few in mind, but I’ve got a massive favorite, literally.
Current Cincinnati Bengals that are slated to become free agents are:
- Tight End C.J. Uzomah
- Cornerback Eli Apple
- Tackle Riley Reiff
- Defensive Tackle Larry Ogunjobi
- Defensive Tackle B.J. Hill
- Safety Jessie Bates III
- Safety Ricardo Allen
There are some intriguing names in that list, but I wouldn’t expect all of them to hit the market. Some of these players do not fit the Denver Broncos’ necessities right now.
Jessie Bates III will surely be tagged if there is not an extension in place, and C.J. Uzomah could see a large payday although he was hit with an MCL sprain against the Kansas City Chiefs this past weekend.
Denver Broncos potential targets off from the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals
1. B.J. Hill, Defensive Lineman
Hill is a fourth-year player out of NC State University, who plays defensive tackle. He was selected 69th overall by the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft. Cincinnati traded former first-round pick Billy Price for Hill just prior to the 2021 NFL Season began.
This move has paid off and then paid itself off again.
There are always guys who just stand out when you watch a game, B.J. Hill is one of those guys, at least during this postseason run. Since I have been following the Bengals, I find myself saying, “what a play from B.J. Hill” at least once a game.
He’s notched 1.5 sacks this postseason while adding another three quarterback hits and intercepting Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Championship game. His rise reminds me a lot of B.J. Raji back when he intercepted Jay Cutler in the postseason for the Green Bay Packers.
Maybe it’s the B, maybe it’s the J, maybe it’s the interception, all I know is I am a huge fan of what B.J. Hill brings to the table. Unless re-signed, the Denver Broncos will be losing Shemar Stephen and DeShawn Williams this offseason, Hill could be a fantastic replacement.
He had six sacks this season, which would have tied Shelby Harris for the team lead. Imagine a defensive line with Shelby Harris, B.J. Hill, and Dre’Mont Jones barreling down on opposing quarterbacks.
2. Cornerback Tre Flowers could fit for the Denver Broncos in 2022
Going into the 2021 NFL Season, the cornerback position looked like a position of strength. That it was, but it did get off to a rocky start. General Manager George Paton understood the necessity to be loaded at this position, he doubled up via draft and free agency last year.
Coming into the 2022 NFL Season, the Denver Broncos are looking at losing at least a couple of contributors at that position. Names like Bryce Callahan, Kyle Fuller, and Nate Hairston all may be playing elsewhere next season.
With the depletion of depth, this makes cornerback a need on the defensive side of the ball. As previously stated, there are a couple on the Bengals roster right now that will bring some intrigue; Eli Apple, Vernon Hargreaves, and Tre Flowers.
While Eli Apple would be a great addition in that he has been smack-talking Tyreek Hill for the past couple of days, Tre Flowers would make some sense here. Adding Flowers to this secondary wouldn’t be to put him in a position where he is seeing an abundance of minutes on defense, but he could be a depth piece while adding major contributions on special teams.
Flowers is a big physical corner who can hit. General Manager, George Paton, literally traded for Jonas Griffith last season to beef up the special teams unit, he understands the importance of this phase of football.
Adding Flowers who has spent a lot of his time with the Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks on special teams, could improve the Denver Broncos special teams coverage unit vastly.
3. Tackle Riley Reiff an option for the Broncos
The former 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Riley Reiff, is the former left tackle of the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Reiff has played both left and right tackle in the NFL since moving up in the ranks from the Iowa Hawkeyes.
In what has been considered an up and down career, Reiff seems to find a stride with the Bengals. When becoming a free agent in 2017, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, who George Paton was working for at the time, a five-year deal worth $58.75 million.
So if anyone knows Reiff, it is George Paton, who watched Reiff up close and personal from 2017-2020. While Reiff has been playing left tackle the majority of his career, he was playing on the right side this season until he was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
If you are one who likes to read articles, you will find that #WHODEY nation loves Riley Reiff and that they sorely miss him. With Bobby Massie scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, and Calvin Anderson being a restricted free agent, maybe Paton calls an old friend to close the revolving door that the right tackle position has been for the Denver Broncos.
Another thing I love about Reiff is his versatility. Having guys like him and Calvin Anderson who can play both sides provide an offensive line with flexibility. There will always be injuries in the NFL, flexibility always makes you more desired in these sorts of situations.
Reiff allowed four sacks this season, which isn’t an appreciable upgrade over Bobby Massie, who allowed five, but Reiff does come with position versatility. He is someone who has been relatively healthy up until this season when he was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
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Reiff is just a tick older than Massie, but again, his versatility could be enticing to someone like George Paton who tends to refrain from putting his staff in a rabbit hole due to injuries.