Why Cincinnati Bengals Should Draft a Running Back in 2012 First Round

Now, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume the Cincinnati Bengals don't find themselves with the No.1 overall pick heading into 2012. The defense has great potential, and the Andy Dalton/Jay Gruden offense has more than enough talent to steer them clear of Andrew Luck.

So, what position do the Bengals assess next? Well, in what is likely to be a draft focused on either side of the trenches for Cincy, they should use their first-round selection to draft one of the top running back prospects on the board.

I reported yesterday that the Cincinnati Bengals held workouts for Larry Johnson and Clinton Portis in preparation for the likely suspension of Cedric Benson, if his appeal is unsuccessful. However plausible either of these backs joining the Bengals sounds, neither is a long-term solution, both being north of 30.

Similarly, going into 2011 some speculated Benson would be in for a contract extension, but the bell-cow RB failed to attract any attention due to previous and ongoing troubles with the law and had to resort to a one-year deal with the Bengals.

With Benson no spring chicken himself, Marvin Lewis and the Bengals will be looking to replace him sooner rather than later, regardless of whether he stays with the team in 2012. Bernard Scott doesn't seem to have won the faith of the coaching staff just yet, and he will be looking to prove himself in the coming year à la Jerome Simpson/Andre Caldwell.

So, what's next? Well, if Benson has his suspension overruled, he could go on to put up big numbers in 2011 and secure himself a job in Cincinnati or elsewhere going forward. With the amount of aggravation Benson is likely causing the Bengals offense, you have to think he will need to put up 2009 numbers for Marvin Lewis and Co. to deem him valuable enough to re-sign.

Which brings us to the 2012 draft. I know it's very early days, and I'll be the first to admit that long-range mock drafts make me want to throw my laptop off a bridge, but it's worth taking a look at which running backs could potentially be the available to the Bengals.

Bleacher Report lead writer Matt Miller has given us the latest look at 2012's prospects, via his column "Huge Upside", and has Alabama Crimson Tide RB Trent Richardson lying just outside his top 10. The college football season is by no means over, but Richardson has already shown to have what Miller refers to as "elite" talent. He likens Richardson to LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren McFadden and calls him a "well-rounded back."

It's certainly worth keeping an eye on which RBs are blowing it up on the college field on Saturdays, as the Bengals will most likely find themselves with a top-10 draft pick in 2012, and Richardson could fall within their grasp. In a league that is weary of drafting running backs high—a weariness I very much share—Richardson could be a steal in the second half of the top 10.

We will have to watch the situation with Benson closely, but if the Bengals want to keep their offense focused on running the football, it might be time to start looking for the next big thing.