Cincinnati Bengals: Making the case for Ereck Flowers

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Apr 21, 2015

The Cincinnati Bengals are heading into the 2015 NFL Draft with hopes of finding immediate contributors and top talent to really push the envelope come next season.

Currently with the No. 21 overall pick in the first-round of this year’s draft, the Bengals should be able to land a top-notch talent that would bring results either now or in the future. It’s incredible to believe that the Bengals always play well during the regular season but once they get into the NFL Playoffs, they pretty much are a “one and done” kind of team. Could offensive tackle Ereck Flowers be the right direction to head in to truly bolster their offensive line?

Nov 16, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) prior to kickoff of a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret that to win plenty of football games, one must win the battle of the trenches. The Bengals could use an upgrade at offensive tackle to help elevate their rushing attack that brings youth and aggression. Running back Jeremy Hill had a stellar season last year with 1,124 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Infusing new raw talent into their offensive line would only elevate Hill for bigger and better days ahead come next season.

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At 6’6″ and 329 pounds, Flowers is the kind of offensive lineman that projects to be an anchor at the position for years to come. He’s strong, durable and very competitive. To bring a presence like that into the Bengals’ offensive line would be a great situation to have heading into 2015.

While some think Flowers would be better suited as a guard in the NFL, I beg to differ. The way he plays with focus and using his frame to his advantage, I think he’d be better off as a tackle. Looking at the Bengals situation at that part of the offensive line, they definitely should add Flowers to groom him for the future.

With Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith as solid starting options, the time is now to have a suitable replacement being developed to one day take over. If something unfortunate happens like injury or a decline in play, it’s imperative to have backups ready to step right in and contribute. Whitworth has almost a decade of experience and Smith is approaching seven years playing. It would make sense to start training some replacements now rather than later.

Oct 4, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Ereck Flowers (74) in action against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Miami 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

One of the traits I especially admire about Flowers is his ability and willingness to learn anything to help his team become better. I’m sure if he was asked to play a certain position on the offensive line, he would have no issues whatsoever because he wants to be the very best at everything he does. This shows his determination to truly succeed no matter what assignment he’s given to execute.

Flowers is the kind of athlete that is coachable and patient enough to know that with time he will only hone his craft. He might be coming off a knee injury he suffered last season at Miami but he should be good to go come training camps this summer.

With a solid work ethic and the right guidance, Flowers could actually end up being quite the hidden gem in this year’s draft. I know it might not be the flashy kind of pick fans want to see for the Bengals but in the essence of competitive football, having quality depth behind an experienced offensive line is one of the major keys for long-term success.

Next: Cincinnati Bengals: Making the case for Malcom Brown

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