NFL Executive on Bengals 2023 NFL Draft: 'It Makes Sense'

The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke with executives across the league about every team's draft strategy.

CINCINNATI — The dust has settled on the 2023 NFL Draft, prompting an executive check-in from The Athletic's Mike Sando. He canvassed the league for thoughts on the Bengals' draft haul.

Rival higher-ups liked Cincinnati's heavy-defense strategy.

“They addressed their offensive line in free agency, so now going heavily on defense in the draft makes sense,” an exec told Sando. “Time will tell if those are the right pieces, but in terms of how to put together a complimentary plan, it makes sense.”

The Bengals selected a defensive player with four of the eight picks this past weekend. One of those was first-rounder Myles Murphy, who reminds an exec of the path Cincinnati took with Carlos Dunlap at the start of last decade.

“There were some questions about Murphy’s tenacity, which I wouldn’t usually put a ton of stock into, except he was not a consistent producer on the quarterback,” this exec told Sando. “Dunlap was seen similarly, great length and ability, perceived as a little aloof. They took him at the top of (round) two and Michael Johnson in the third and had success with both.”

Cincinnati would love to strike gold again with Murphy as it did with Dunlap when they selected the still-active defensive end with the 54th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

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