Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Bengals‘ writers and fans alike have been getting increasingly more frustrated as the 2013 NFL Draft draws nearer for one big reason: right tackle Andre Smith has still not re-signed.
Unfortunately for the Bengals, if they can’t get him to re-sign by Thursday evening, they will need to replace him with an early-round draft pick, a move that feels unnecessary and will leave a lot of people (including the Bengals coaching staff, I’m sure) very unhappy.
With two and a half days to go between now and the draft, there is still a hope that they will be able to sign up Smith for another few years and use their draft picks on positions that won’t feel as much like they’re wasting their time (like a new safety, a running back or a linebacker).
But if it doesn’t happen, there is still hope for retaining the first-round pick for something else, thanks to former Ohio State Buckeyes offensive tackle Reid Fragel.
After three years with Ohio at tight end, Fragel gained 25 pounds and moved to right tackle for the 2012 season, playing all 12 games at the position and receiving an honorable mention to the Big-Ten team in the process. His sheer size and raw athleticism projects him to be a top-50 draft prospect but because he has only played one season at right tackle, the Bengals have the opportunity to possibly draft him as late as their second pick in the second round.
Now that the Bengals have shown interest in Fragel, one of three things can happen:
1. The ideal option is that the Bengals and Andre Smith come to an agreement before Thursday and the draft will continue as if this issue never happened.
2. In the worst case scenario, the Bengals use their first-round draft pick to draft D.J. Fluker of Menelik Watson, using their second-round pick on a safety like Jonathan Cyprien or Matt Elam (whoever is still undrafted) and possibly missing out on the chance to draft running back Giovani Bernard.
3. The most hopeful fans can be, considering the circumstances, is that the Bengals use picks 21 and 37 on their original necessities of safety and running back and still have the chance the take Fragel with pick number 53. At this point, we can’t ask for much more.
Simon Greene – Cincinnati Bengals Writer. Follow Simon on Twitter @simongreene88
