Setting Realistic Expectations for Each Cincinnati Bengals Rookie

Now thick in the lull of the offseason, the attention around the Cincinnati Bengals should turn to the future. 

Doing so, it might be best to focus on the rookies.

By most accounts, the Bengals knocked the 2015 draft out of the park, shoring up the offensive line for years to come and grabbing a nice dash of present-future talent at critical areas.

Then again, on a team as deep as Cincinnati thanks to solid draft after solid draft, rookies don't often make the biggest impact. Over the course of the past few years, for example, the team's first-round picks at corner—Dre Kirkpatrick in 2012 and Darqueze Dennard in 2014—didn't see the field too much.

With such an approach in mind, let's take a look at what to expect from each rookie before training camp gets underway.

Cedric Ogbuehi, OT

The Bengals used the No. 21 pick on Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, he of much higher draft stock before a knee injury earlier this year.

While the injury hurt Ogbuehi's stock, it makes things a little easier on the Bengals this year. With Andre Smith returning from an injury at right tackle and Andrew Whitworth coming off one of his best seasons as a pro on the left side, the team doesn't need an instant starter.

In other words, there isn't much to expect from the Texas A&M product this year. The ceiling seems to be his seeing action as a rotational player, but that's quite doubtful.

Instead, look for the Bengals to let the rookie take his time in recovery while he learns from the veterans. He'll likely start on the PUP list, if not sit out all 16 games.

Jake Fisher, OT

Bengals second-round pick Jake Fisher is a much different story than his first-round teammate, Ogbuehi.

Fisher enters the league as a freakish athlete talented enough to play any spot on the line. With such a resume in mind, it wouldn't be a shock to see him act as a rotational presence next season, or perhaps as the extra tackle the coaching staff brings on in unbalanced sets.

It's worth noting, though, veteran tackle Eric Winston stresses caution about his rookie teammate, as captured by ESPN.com:

"

He's going to go through a lot of growing pains. To anoint him or think he's going to be able to step in Day 1 and be able to do it, hell, I can't do that. There's not a lot of guys that can do that and step in Day 1 and be a guy the team can rely on, especially at one of the tougher spots like the tackle position. It's rough. It's not easy.

"

Barring a wealth of injuries, Fisher won't be a starter as a rookie, even if he surprises in the speed of his development. Worst-case scenario, he doesn't see any playing time at all.

A mix between the two seems obvious. So it goes for a team so deep as it preps for the future.

Tyler Kroft, TE

With veteran Jermaine Gresham out of the picture, the Bengals might lean on two rookie tight ends for contributions this year behind starter Tyler Eifert.

One is third-round pick Tyler Kroft out of Rutgers. He didn't blow anyone away in college from a stats standpoint thanks to his team's struggles under center, but he seems to tout the versatility offensive coordinator Hue Jackson loves.

"I like Kroft because I think he has a lot of the combination of all the things we're looking for," Jackson said, per Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson. "The ability to block on the edge, the ability to catch, the ability to run down the field. The ability to move around. He's very smart. I think he can block."

The ceiling for Kroft seems to be starter status should Eifert suffer another injury. Provided it doesn't happen, the worst-case scenario sees him restricted to the red zone, with the passing offense featuring other versatile pieces such as running backs and fullback Ryan Hewitt. 

It's a boom-of-bust outlook for the rookie.

Paul Dawson, LB

The Bengals once again looked like geniuses in the draft for taking talent at great value in several spots.

The most notable came at the end of the third round with TCU linebacker Paul Dawson, who might have enough in the tank to act as a rookie starter.

Rob Rang of CBS Sports explains why Dawson may fit best as a weak-side 'backer in Cincinnati:

"

At that position he won't be asked to take on blockers quite as often and can best take advantage of his awareness and closing speed. He's highly aggressive, showing the courage to attack gaps and create big plays in run support, as well as in coverage where the former high school wide receiver's ballskills also stand out.

"

Such is the ceiling for Dawson—he starts while Vontaze Burfict, his best possible comparison, by the way, sits on the sidelines and recovers from knee surgery.

The floor is different. It's doubtful the Bengals will switch up the linebacker rotation much, especially with Rey Maualuga and A.J. Hawk on board, meaning Dawson could at best be a rotational player and special teams ace as a rookie.

Which, of course, isn't such a bad thing, because it would suggest everyone is healthy.

Josh Shaw, DB

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The Bengals took another gamble with their first of two picks in the fourth round by selecting USC defensive back Josh Shaw.

Much of the expectations around Shaw's rookie campaign should center on how the team looks to use him.

Cincinnati defensive backs coach Vance Joseph didn't add much in the way of a revelation during an interview on the topic, per a transcript at Bengals.com:

"

Well, he's going to be a corner. He's going to be a press corner. That's what we do here with the Bengals. He's going to be a corner with the ability to play nickel; that's a huge thing for us. And obviously in a pinch he could play safety. You can see it on tape. It won't be a projection. He's doing those things on college tape. He's playing all three positions and he's a very, very, very smart guy. So that's exciting for me.

"

The versatility helps Shaw's chances at playing time, but more than anything, it looks like a sign he's a lock for the final roster at one of the team's deeper positions.

Just making the roster and perhaps contributing on specials teams seems to be the ceiling for Shaw, if not a few snaps here and there late in already-decided games. He's a player for the future, not the present.

Marcus Hardison, DL

With the second of two picks in the fourth round, the Bengals scooped up defensive lineman Marcus Hardison out of Arizona State.

A big-bodied player who can provide a stout rush from the inside of the line or outside, Hardison fits what the Bengals love in the trenches to perfection—versatility.

It seems unlikely the Bengals would take Hardison in the range they did just to cut him in the final days of summer, so his presence makes life more difficult for names such as Wallace Gilberry, Devon Still and Brandon Thompson.

Hardison is more of a high-upside player, though, so he might not crack the lineup often as a rookie, if at all. He seems more akin to a replacement for Gilberry in future years, barring major injuries.

Another quick-twitch monster in the trenches for the Bengals to work with for a season isn't a bad thing.

C.J. Uzomah, TE

Gary Landers/Associated Press

When it comes to playing time at tight end, it was safe to presume third-round pick Tyler Kroft held an advantage over C.J. Uzomah, the Bengals' fifth-round pick. 

Maybe not. ESPN.com's Coley Harvey shared the details of recent developments:

"

Although still comparatively raw, Uzomah -- a fifth-round selection -- seems to have a better handle on things than Kroft, who dropped his share of passes during organized team activities and minicamp. Because the Bengals likely will employ some two-tight end sets, look for Kroft, Uzomah (or even undrafted rookie Matt Lengel) to be among the rookies who potentially get playing time this year.

"

It's important to keep in mind that it's still early, but the surprise of Uzomah looking solid so far might be the most interesting nugget from camps.

Pegged as a high-upside player held back by Auburn's offense, which seems to ignore tight ends almost completely, it's nothing but a good sign that Uzomah seems to fit in well already.

While the worst-case scenario for the rookie is no playing time at all besides when an injury strikes, the best case is he breaks into the lineup on occasion to covert on third down and in the red zone.

Derron Smith, S

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

In the sixth round, the Bengals went with a turnover-creating machine by the name of Derron Smith from Fresno State.

Early camp reports suggest it didn't take long for Smith to live up to his billing, as Harvey noted:

"

Rookie S Derron Smith just jumped (high) in front of AJ McCarron pass and caught it in full team drill. No INT, though. Came down out bounds

— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) June 17, 2015"

While just what the Bengals need out of their defensive backs, Smith has a long road ahead when it comes to playing time as a rookie. George Iloka and Reggie Nelson are the starters, with Shawn Williams figuring to act as the primary backup.

Injuries could change matters, of course, but Smith seems like he'll be a special teams force more than anything else in his debut season.

Mario Alford, WR

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On many rosters, seventh-round rookies don't stand much of a chance. 

This just isn't the case for Bengals wideout Mario Alford out of West Virginia, the No. 238 selection in the draft.

Alford is a smaller player at 5'9" and 180 pounds and won't break into the starting lineup at all thanks to names like A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu and more.

What he will do, though, is push Brandon Tate for his job on kick returns and let Adam Jones focus on corner instead of returning punts. Alford returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season alone.

Despite his status as a seventh-round pick, in theory, Alford could see playing time in certain packages, especially on screens meant to emulate a kickoff return. He can also stretch the field deep if asked.

The absolute ceiling is a package-based role on offense, although there's nothing wrong with a rookie who makes his impact on special teams.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of June 30. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.