Next on the list of veteran IDP winners and losers after the NFL Draft is the Cincinnati Bengals! They have some players you want to get for your IDP teams! The Bengals might just have some players you want to move on from also.
Cincinnati Bengals
IDP Veteran Winners
Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt
The winners for the Cincinnati Bengals on the IDP winners and losers list have to be the linebackers. There were zero players added, via free agency or through the 2023 NFL Draft, to the Bengals linebacker room. Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt seem to have convinced the Bengals that they are the answer in the middle of the defense.
Wilson just completed his third year and had his best statistical year yet in 2022. He plays 100% of the defensive snaps when healthy. 2022 had Wilson deliver a solid year of 123 tackles (83 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 7 QB hits, 2.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 1 interception, and a forced fumble. This was good enough for a middle linebacker two ranking in fantasy football IDP scoring. He would be a starting LB each and every week. Wilson's solo tackles have risen from 23 in his rookie year to 57, and then 83 in his first three years. I see 100+ solo tackles in 2023.
Germaine Pratt played the Robin role perfectly.
Pratt just completed his fourth year and it was his best statistical season to date also. He had 76 tackles as a rookie, 89 tackles to follow up his rookie year, 91 tackles in his third year, and finally 99 tackles this past season. He played 70% or more of the defensive snaps in 12 of his games last year.
Pratt showed he belonged in the middle of the Bengals' defense with a solid 2022 season. He produced a very nice 99 tackles (50 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, 10 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. I feel pretty confident that Pratt will deliver his first triple-digit tackle season in 2023.
IDP Veteran Losers
Defensive End/Edge - Trey Hendrickson
I believe the writing is on the wall for Trey Hendrickson to be a big loser on the IDP winners and losers list. After being a third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017, Hendrickson played his first four years with the Saints. He did not do much in his first three years as a Saint. His combined three-year results included 40 tackles (25 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 18 QB hits, 6.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles.
Hendrickson broke out big time in 2020
2020 would be the year that Hendrickson would show up on the island of relevancy. In his 4th and final year with the Saints, he would deliver an All-Pro-worthy season with 25 tackles (22 solo), 12 tackles for loss, 25 QB hits, 13.5 sacks, 1 pass defended, and a forced fumble. His 2020 season was good enough to land him a four-year contract worth $60 million with the Bengals. Not bad for only producing in one of his first four years.
The Bengals looked like they stole one in 2021. Hendrickson would have a similar year as 2020 and be named to the Pro Bowl. He delivered a career-high 34 tackles (21 solo), 12 tackles for a loss, 27 QB hits, 14 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.
But, then 2022 happened and I am no longer a Hendrickson fan. After starting off the 2022 season with 83% or more of the defensive snaps in three of his first four games, he finished the season by playing just 43% and 23% of the defensive snaps in his last two regular season games played. I'm sure the broken wrist he suffered played a role in the reduction of defensive snaps. Prior to the injury, he had been reduced to anywhere from 54% to 71% of the defensive snaps from weeks 7-13. In his three playoff games, Hendrickson played 43%, 51%, and 59% of the defensive snaps.
The Bengals select Myles Murphy in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Not only did Hendrickson lose snaps as the year went on, but the Bengals used their first-round pick on a player that will take his place in the rotation. Myles Murphy will be an instant success in the Bengals rotation. Murphy has better tackle numbers per game with 116 tackles (61 solo), 36 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, and 6 forced fumbles in his 3 years at Clemson. He will show his worth early and often as a rookie, and then into the future.
Safety - Tycen Anderson
Tycen Anderson was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and was selected with the 2023 safety departures in mind. Playing for Toledo in the MAC, he posted impressive combined career numbers of 233 tackles (131 solo), 9 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 16 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. He was set to have a starting spot in 2023.
Anderson hurts his hamstring in the preseason and misses the whole year.
After he hurt his hamstring and missed the year, the Bengals use a third-round NFL pick on Jordan Battle, who is a safety out of Alabama. These two facts put Anderson on the losers' side of the IDP winners and losers list.
Cornerback - Mike Hilton
I believe that Cam Taylor-Britt has one side of the field on lockdown with his rookie year showing 55 tackles (41 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 6 passes defended, and a forced fumble. This was accomplished in just 10 games. He missed the beginning of the season due to an abdomen injury. The Bengals then used two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft on cornerbacks. DJ Turner was their second-round pick out of Michigan. DJ Ivey was their seventh-round pick out of Miami, Florida.
Out with the old, in with the new.
In my opinion, these two rookies will force Mike Hilton to the losers' side of the IDP winners and losers list. He is 29 and going into his seventh year in the league. Hilton played his first four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing a four-year, $24 million contract. Hilton posted only 60 tackles in 2022, which was just 4th best in his six-year career. He had 4 tackles for a loss, which was the worst of his career. Hilton had the two worst years of his career in passes defended while playing for the Bengals. He only had one interception last year. It wasn't due to play time either as he hit 84% or more of the defensive snaps in half of his games.
Thank you for checking out my 2023 Team Veteran IDP Winners and Losers article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP Guys author page. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @OldMan_FF and @IDPGuys (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber!
