Cincinnati Bengals: Billy Price was the perfect pick

With time to reflect, the decision to select Billy Price in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft was the perfect way for the Cincinnati Bengals to improve.

The 2018 NFL Draft provided the Cincinnati Bengals with an opportunity to establish a healthier foundation. Franchise cornerstones such as Geno Atkins, Andy Dalton, Carlos Dunlap, and A.J. Green remain, but the loss of Andrew Whitworth was felt both on and off the field.

In the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bengals went a long way towards replacing Whitworth despite not selecting a player at his position.

Whitworth is one of the greatest offensive tackles of his generation. In addition to giving Cincinnati the comfort of knowing their quarterback’s blindside was protected, he was a leader in the locker room and a consummate professional.

With Whitworth unfortunately an ex-Bengal, Marvin Lewis and Co. have found a player who could potentially replace him as a leader in the locker room: Billy Price.

Price may have been injured at the 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Combine, but he’s as deserving of the pick as anyone who was on the board.

Price could either lineup opposite Clint Boling as Cincinnati’s new right guard or fill in at center, where the level of play in 2017 was unacceptable. The expectation is that Price will fill the void in the middle and potentially anchor the Bengals’ rushing attack.

With the likes of Giovani Bernard, Joe Mixon, and Mark Walton at running back, Cincinnati has the talent to feature one of the best run games in the NFL.

With Price and Boling leading the interior of the Bengals’ offensive line, the probability of Bill Lazor re-establishing the run increases tremendously.

Beyond the field, Price is a high-character player who was highly regarded as a leader of the Ohio State Buckeyes. He helped set a tone in the locker room and carried it into games with a motor that simply wouldn’t quit.

That alone should justify this pick, as he can help change the culture for a Bengals team that looked like a shell of itself in 2017.

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There may have been flashier selections to make, but Billy Price is the type of player and person whom the Cincinnati Bengals needed at the 2018 NFL Draft.