The Cincinnati Bengals could be losing two of their top wide receivers this offseason, as both wide receivers Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason. There is reportedly "virtually no chance Sanu will re-sign with the Bengals," and Jones has said that he is excited to test free agency this offseason. With Sanu gone and Jones' future up in the air, it's reasonable to think that the Bengals might be targeting some wide receivers in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft.
One player to keep an eye on is TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson, who could fill a hole as the Bengals' second receiver immediately. Doctson was having an incredible season with the Horned Frogs before suffering a broken arm, which caused him to miss the last three games of the year including their bowl game.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver has a talent for going up and grabbing the ball when contested, and he could be strong fit opposite of star wide receiver A.J. Green. "I think he'll be a receiver that people start to find problems with and then he'll get a 65-70 catches by year two or three," said one NFC area scout, via NFL Network. "He can really go get it when the ball is in the air. Those guys aren't easy to find."
Doctson recorded 79 receptions for 1,327 yards and scored 14 touchdowns in 10 games his senior season. ESPN's Mel Kiper has projected the Bengals to select Doctson with the 24th pick in the draft, but three receivers Bengals fans should keep an eye on as well are Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell, Baylor's Corey Coleman and Ohio State's Michael Thomas.
Treadwell is considered by most draft analysts the top prospect at the position and is unlikely to fall to the Bengals in the first round. If Treadwell somehow slips that far in the draft the Bengals could look to have a powerhouse of weapons in 2016 with Green, Treadwell and tight end Tyler Eifert. While Treadwell is highly unlikely to be on the board by the 24th pick, both Coleman and Thomas could slide to the Bengals, and Cincinnati's front office would have to decide which receiver would best fit in their system.
The Bengals have needs in their secondary on the defensive side of the ball as well this offseason, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them wait until the second round to take a talented receiver. All four of the receivers mentioned above are participating in the 2016 NFL combine, and depending on the numbers they produce, each player's draft stock could improve or decrease based on their results.
The Bengals will be heavily scouting wide receivers at the NFL combine as well as other positions this upcoming week, and it will be interesting to see if any particular receiver garners more interest from the Bengals front office in the lead up to the 2016 NFL Draft.
