Bengals Get Big Time Receiver in Ja'Marr Chase, Take Big Risk in Process

The Cincinnati Bengals selected wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase with their first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. A good player, but doesn't protect quarterback Joe Burrow who suffered a significant knee injury in his rookie season.

With the fifth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. This was an expected move, giving quarterback Joe Burrow another receiving threat to go with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd; a really talented group.

The pick also comes with significant amount of pressure on the organization, who still need to continue to upgrade their offensive line. Burrow now has a prominent scar on his knee from the significant knee injury he suffered last year.

The Bengals will have opportunities to add offensive line help in the second round, but it's incredibly difficult to say they will be as likely to succeed as offensive tackle Peneii Sewell.

The Bengals line stunk last year and while they have tried to upgrade it this offseason, signing Riley Reiff presumably to play right tackle. Jonah Williams was reasonably effective last year, but when he misses, he tends to whiff, which enables opposing rushers come full speed at the quarterback.

The interior of the line is nothing but question marks. With Sewell, they could have moved either Reiff or Williams to guard, which immediately upgrades two spots.

For the Browns, as much as it will be a challenge to cover the receivers the Bengals now boast, they are content to try to put Burrow on the ground. They were relentless in pressuring him last year and added Malik Jackson, who hit Burrow four times as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Jadeveon Clowney and Malik Jackson.

It's not out of the realm of possibility they will get Sheldon Richardson back before the season starts.

If the Bengals cannot protect Burrow again, he could join the list of Bengals quarterbacks who have either had their careers ruined or drastically altered by injury. Meanwhile, the Bengals went to the Super Bowl with Anthony Munoz as the team's left tackle.

Plenty of pressure on the front office to pay this off in the coming rounds with good linemen.

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