With the No. 6 Pick In the Draft, Who Should the Bengals Select?

2009 has been a busy offseason for Mike Brown and the Cincinnati Bengals.

After the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the team quickly found his replacement by signing former New York Jet wide receiver Laverneous Coles. Coles should be another solid target alongside Chad Ocho Cinco for Carson Palmer to throw to.

Despite ending the 2008 regular season on a three-game winning streak, the Cincinnati Bengals would like to forget last season's 4-11-1 record (yes, it is possible for a game to end in a tie).

As we sit a few weeks away from the 2009 NFL Draft, Bengals fans can't help but wonder what the Bengals will do with the No. 6 pick. When looking back at last season, it's obvious they should focus on using their pick on an offensive lineman.

The Bengals struggled protecting quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Ryan Fitzpatrick last season as they finished third in the league by giving up 51 sacks, with San Francisco and Detroit ahead of them.

Every team knows the importance of protecting their quarterback. The QB is seen as the leader of the team, and in the past, we have seen teams struggle when their No.1 QB goes down (insert Carson Palmer and the Bengals here).

If the Bengals want to improve quarterback protection, they should draft whichever offensive tackle is available.

One name who may be available when their turn rolls around is offensive tackle Andre Smith out of Alabama. Smith would help improve an offensive line that will need to protect Carson Palmer, especially after returning from last season's elbow injury.

The 6' 4" All-American Smith would be a great fit for the Bengals with his impressive size and agility. However, Smith's work ethic comes into question after leaving the NFL combine early.

Other names the Bengals should look into drafting if they are available when their turn comes around include Jason Smith out of Baylor and Eugene Monroe out of Virginia. There is a good chance these two offensive tackles will be snagged by the time their pick rolls around, but either one would be a great fit for the Bengals' offensive line needs.

On paper, the Bengals have one of the best offenses in the league. Palmer has enough weapons on offense to give any defense a headache.

However, no quarterback will succeed if he isn't protected and continues to get sacked. The offensive line was a weakness for the Bengals last season and should be their main focus when draft day approaches in a few weeks.