A re-set with the first round of the NFL Draft an even three weeks from Thursday:
The Bengals, who are focusing more and more on the draft these days rather than signing veterans, are poised to get on the field next month with their pipeline of young talent on defense.
Now that defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry has moved on to Detroit, little-used and highly drafted young players like Marcus Hardison, Margus Hunt, and Will Clarke are in line to fill the gap left by Gilberry’s 58-percent play time. And while the Bengals have yet to close the door on veteran safety Reggie Nelson in free agency, they’ve also set up themselves with two starters 26 years old and younger on Opening Day as well as a third-safety type in sophomore Josh Shaw.