With wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase given big contracts that lock them up until the end of the decade, and QB Joe Burrow there to throw to them, are the Cincinnati Bengals poised to focus their entire 2025 NFL Draft on the opposite side of the ball?

The Bengals’ situation is further complicated by the fact that league-leading sack gatherer Trey Hendrickson is not yet back in the building after finding less trade interest than anticipated once he was given leave to find an alternative home to Cincinnati, although it appears that both sides may be willing to reconcile.

While the draft is laden with potential first-round pass rushers, however, there could be another option on the board at pick 17.

“To me, it’s an all defensive draft — you have to go that side of the ball heavy, heavy, heavy, and I would be shocked if they don’t do that,” NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah insisted, before tabbing one of the best linebackers in the class as a potential Bengals’ target.

“Jihaad Campbell I love. I know he’s physically beat up coming into the process, so you have to have your medical group be comfortable that he’s going to be fine once we get to the season, but, to me, he’s dynamic. He’s versatile off the ball, on the ball. Big-time speed. For a team that’s going to be playing against Baltimore and trying to climb that mountain every year, I think he matches up well.

“Think about somebody who can come downhill and get Derrick Henry on the ground. Or you could spy him against Lamar [Jackson]. And he can close down and try and suck him up on the perimeter. And then, if you want to, you can let him rush off the edge. He can do a lot of different things, and I think he would be a heck of a pick if he were to get to number 17.”

Although the O-line could always do with shoring up, there are holes at all levels of the defense, and especially in the secondary, that also need to be addressed, with Jeremiah advocating that the Bengals could turn their eye to a couple of safeties on day two.

“Kevin Winston from Penn State I like, and I think there’s value because he missed time with only playing two games this year,” he noted. “You get a nice package of height, weight, speed. He’s aggressive. He’s good versus the run. If you go

back to the ’23 tape, there’s a lot to like about him.

“Then, I’m a Craig Woodson guy. I love him. I think he’s a day one starter. I have him kind of in that third-round range, but maybe teams have him more so in that four, five range. Cal has been a sneaky safety factory of late. He’s 6-foot, 200 pounds, ran 4.45. He’s smart, a great leader. He’s a little older, but has played a ton of football. He’ a smooth mover and an excellent tackler — and he gets his hands on the football.”