Bengals attack frustrating weakness in new mock draft

Pass rush is once again going to be a hot topic for the Cincinnati Bengals this upcoming offseason. Trey Hendrickson is unlikely to come back and depth will need to be filled behind Shemar Stewart. Could the Bengals select an edge rusher in the first round for the second year in a row?

That scenario is very possible and one that plays out in Matt Miller's latest mock draft for ESPN. With the No. 8 pick, the Bengals select Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk. Here's what Miller had to say about the pick:

Hendrickson will become a free agent after the season, and his return to Cincinnati is hardly guaranteed considering the acrimonious nature of his preseason holdout. Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample will also be free agents, leaving the Bengals with needs up front despite drafting Shemar Stewart in the first round this year and Myles Murphy in 2023. Neither has had much of an impact, so perhaps Faulk could break through. At 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, Faulk is built in the mold of Hendrickson with the power to lock out offensive tackles and the quickness to get to the quarterback. He has two sacks and 24 pressures this season and can rush from the inside and outside.

Not only is Faulk full of potential at the next level, but he is still very young. He won't turn 21 until September of next year. The tools he'll bring to the league are already exciting and there is still plenty of room for growth. He may be close to, if not the perfect replacement for Hendrickson.

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The Bengals need help across the defense, but pass rush is once again an issue, especially with Hendrickson having missed time. Their 14 sacks as a team rank second-lowest in the league. Only the San Francisco 49ers are worse, with 12. They also have just a 28.5 percent pressure rate and a 3.7 percent sack rate, both 4th-worst in the league.

The good news is there are some strong options at the defensive end position coming up in this draft. Arvell Reese (Ohio State) and Reuben Bain Jr. (Miami) could also be top-10 picks and David Bailey (Texas Tech) and T.J. Parker (Clemson) are among those also likely to hear their name among the top-20 picks.

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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals attack frustrating weakness in new mock draft