The Bengals are busy signing their draft picks, the players have taken the field, a very rough idea of a possible depth chart is beginning to form and the season will be here before we know it.

What isn't there to talk about?

Maybe it's because you just can't get enough Bengals news or maybe it's because you just watched a terrifying movie and you're too worried about what could be in your bed/closet or behind the shower curtain to fall asleep. Or maybe you live on a planet that has three suns, you don't know what night actually is and you, for some weird reason, get Earth's Internet (if you do, it's probably from Time Warner).

Whatever the case may be, this is a safe place (no monsters in the closet here). Share your thoughts whether they be Bengals or things-that-go-bump-in-the-night related.

Go.

Tonight I was joined by Joe Goodberry, Dave Wellman and our producer Jason Blanton as we went through the Bengals 2012 NFL draft pick by pick, analyzing each selection and grading each round. All in all, each of us were happy with the Bengals overall draft and we spent the time tonight to tell you why.

You can listen to the show here.

Join us the week after next on Thursday night where we will give a preview of the depth chart, discuss breaking news between now and then and give a short preview of the season.

Thanks to all of our listeners, our callers and thanks to our sponsor Art of Smiles Dentistry, transforming smiles into beautiful works of art. Check them out on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and give them a call at 513-367-4441. Also, make sure you submit your questions for the weekly Art of Smiles Dentistry In-Your-Grill question of the week.

We're on the air Internet. Tune in here, call in at 661-449-9301 or ask questions or comments in this open thread.

The under-utilization of Cincinnati Bengals running back Bernard Scott has been an annoyance for many fans over the past couple seasons. While Cedric Benson was getting upwards of 25 touches a game at times, Scott was lucky to see six. Of course, there were times that Scott didn't necessarily make the most of those six carries, but most Bengals fans believe that the team needs to give him a larger role in order to see him flourish in stripes.

Now Benson is gone and even though the Bengals have brought in free agent running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to fill the void, there is a sense that the running game is going to be different in 2012. Green-Ellis, a between-the-tackles type of back, will still likely get the bulk of the carries, but Scott could get a much larger role, especially since the team decided not to draft a running back until they were on the clock with their final pick.

This is something that is exciting to not only fans, but according to Dan Hoard on Bengals.com, to Scott as well.

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Catching up on work? Checking out some Bengals news? Enjoying some well deserved adult beverages after a stressful work week? The Bengals rookies are hard at work trying to get used to the playbook and the NFL. Who are you excited about? Who do you think will be starters? Who do you think will struggle to get on the field or even make the team?

And if you don't feel like talking football, what do you have going on tonight?

In the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Bengals got their running back with their last pick. At No. 191, the Bengals chose to select former Ohio State Buckeye running back Dan "Boom" Herron. Herron, one of the players forced to serve suspensions in the 2011 season for selling memorabilia and receiving gifts, probably is the longest shot at making the roster of the team's 10 draft picks simply because of Cedric Peerman's special teams value.

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The Bengals had an exciting and busy fifth round in the 2012 NFL draft. They selected two new members for the secondary, cornerback Shaun Prater and safety George Iloka, and wide receiver Marvin Jones. All three players not only have the potential to make the team, but they also have the potential to make some solid contributions in their rookie seasons.

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One of the more exciting picks in this year's draft was the selection of Georgia tight end Orson Charles. Charles, who is a little smaller, but just as athletic as Jermaine Gresham, the team's starting tight end, looks as if he can stretch the field and give the Bengals a one-two punch at tight end similar to what the New England Patriots have with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

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Since the new collective bargaining agreement has been in place, teams have had a much easier time signing their drafted rookies. A few short years ago, unproven rookies holding out on signing their contracts was a common thing. Bengals fans experienced this on multiple occasions in the past, most recently with right tackle Andre Smith. The new CBA, however, includes a new rookie pay scale that allows teams to pay their veterans what they deserve and give a little less to the rookies who haven't yet earned multi-million dollar contracts yet.

Based on last year's draft, we can somewhat predict what players that were drafted this year will sign contracts for. We've already gone through the first and second rounds, which means it's time to take a look at the Bengals' third-round picks -- wide receiver Mohamed Sanu and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson.

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The 2012 NFL draft has come to an end which means that new players are getting ready to sign their contracts with their agents. This is an exciting time because soon we'll be able to see how drafted players will stack up against NFL talent for the first time. One of the more exciting players to keep an eye on is defensive tackle Devon Still, who was selected in the second round by the Bengals out of Penn State. Most believe he was an absolute steal at that point in the draft, and if you watched him play in 2011, you'd agree.

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The draft is over and we're now looking down the barrel of offseason training camp. This is an exciting time of year for NFL fans because they get to see what their favorite teams' new players look like against NFL talent. You can't tell me you're not excited to see what Dre Kirkpatrick looks like when facing A.J. Green, or how Kevin Zeitler fares when facing Geno Atkins.

However, before we get to see that, the Bengals have to get their new players to sign their names on the dotted line. Thanks to the new CBA and a new rookie wage scale, this is easier than it was in the days of Andre Smith, who held out for almost all of training camp and ate the entire population of a small town while doing so. Based on the contracts signed by players who were drafted last year in the exact same spot, we can reasonably predict what new Bengals players' contracts will look like this year.

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Let's review:

• Heading into the draft, Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict is considered a first-round draft pick and a carbon copy of future hall of famer Ray Lewis.
• As the draft nears, Burfict tumbles down big boards like he's the puck in plinko. He says the wrong things, he puts on too much weight, works out poorly and people hate him.
• Burfict is considered one of the riskier players in the 2012 NFL draft.
• Burfict goes undrafted.
• Burfict signs with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent.

I've seen one of two things online since it was announced that Burfict will be joining the Bengals this offseason. One is that this was a smart move for the team and the other goes along the line "it figures the Bengals would sign a guy like Burfict."

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We'll use any excuse to get drunk, won't we? We've decided to use a Mexican celebration of their surprise victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 (thanks Wikipedia) as an excuse to drink margaritas at 2 in the afternoon and wear sombreros all day. Oh, I'm not complaining. By the time you'll be reading this, I'll be downing one of many cervezas in celebration.

So, how are you celebrating Cinco De Mayo?

Since 1990, the Bengals have had three winning seasons and in those three seasons, they went to the playoffs each time. 2011 was one of those three seasons which means that in 2012, the Bengals will have a chance to do something that haven't done in a very, very long time: have back-to-back winning seasons.

If you take a look back at the history of the team, the last time this technically happened was in the 1981 and 1982 seasons. However, while they went 12-4 in '81, they only went 7-2 in '82 due to a player strike that shortened the season. So, if you really want to get technical, the Bengals haven't have back-to-back full winning seasons since the '75 and '76 seasons.

For the first time in a long time I'm actually beginning to hold the Bengals to a winning standard and if they meet my expectations, they will have done something they couldn't do since the '80s (or '70s if you want to get technical). Are you allowing yourselves to hope or even expect good things?

Talk about it.

With the final draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2012 NFL draft, the team finally selected a running back -- former Ohio State back Dan "Boom" Herron. Herron was one of the players that was suspended for a portion of the 2011 season, along with Devier Posey, for receiving gifts and selling memorabilia. In his time with the Buckeyes, he ran for 2,872 yards for 32 touchdowns and averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

Herron will have a tough task of carving out a spot in the Bengals roster. The team's primary back is BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the third-down back is Brian Leonard. Herron will have to fight with Bernard Scott and Cedric Peerman for playing time and, in the end, the team will likely choose between Peerman and Herron.

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With their third and final fifth-round selection for the Bengals, acquired from the New York Giants in exchange for linebacker Keith Rivers, the Bengals decided to select Boise State safety George Iloka with the No. 167 overall pick. Iloka, the best safety available at this point in the draft, will add depth to a position that will likely be taken over by Taylor Mays along side Reggie Nelson in 2012.

Iloka has been very productive while at Boise State and is built like an outside linebacker rather than a typical safety. While he played free safety in college, he could probably play either free safety or strong safety because of his size, which makes him a good catch at this point in the draft because he could possibly play anywhere in the defensive backfield down the road. He's extremely athletic and while he needs to work on his tackling and how to properly read plays, he will be a special teams contributor and he could find himself on the field in certain situations in the next couple seasons. Most experts feel that he has third-round value.

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With the Bengals' first of three fifth-round selections, the team has decided to use the No. 156 pick on Iowa cornerback Shaun Prater. Prater is the second cornerback the Bengals have taken in this draft as they used their first overall selection on Dre Kirkpatrick. They also seem to be going back and forth between offense and defense to fill holes and pick talented players on both sides of the ball.

Prater will have to be squeezed into the roster somewhere as the team is loaded on cornerbacks right now. After signing Jason Allen, Terence Newman and re-signing Adam Jones to join Leon Hall and Nate Clements and Dre Kirkpatrick, Prater, as a late-round pick, could struggled to find his spot on the team through the offseason. Prater could earn playing time, at least early in his career, by carving a place out in special teams. Of course, this could also be a sign that the team may not be comfortable with some of aging talent they have at the position heading into the season.

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With their fourth pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals got A.J. Green's partner in crime as they drafted Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu with the No. 83 overall pick. Since the Bengals didn't use free agency to fill the No. 2 receiver position and since they let Jerome Simpson sign with the Minnesota Vikings (I'm not complaining), the team needed to fill the need in the draft. After grabbing a cornerback, guard and defensive tackle in the first two rounds, the pick likely came down between Sanu, the best available wide receiver, and Lamar Miller, the best available running back.

The Bengals showed that they felt wide receiver was a bigger need. Sanu will be competing for the team's No. 2 receiver spot and has the size and ability to compliment Green well. The big measuring stick, though, will be his consistence as that was the biggest complaint about the receiver he'll be replacing. If Sanu has a good season, with Green, Jordan Shipley's return, Jermaine Gresham and others, the Bengals will have a very productive passing attack.

Here's Sanu's draft profile from Pro Football Weekly:

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With the 27th overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft, the Bengals, after taking Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick at No. 17 and moving back in the draft, giving up their No. 21 selection to the New England Patriots, have selected Wisconsin offensive guard Kevin Zeitler.

This pick comes after the team moved back, missing out on David DeCastro, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and, possibly somewhat unexpectedly, was selected before Georgia's Cordy Glenn, who was projected to be a top-15 pick in some mock drafts. Also, Zeitler is now the first offensive guard to be selected in the first round in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals franchise. Zeitler will likely start at right guard, giving the Bengals an offensive line of Andrew Whitworth, Travelle Wharton, Kyle Cook, Zeitler and Andre Smith.

Zeitler may come as a surprise to many Bengals fans, but according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy, the Bengals have been high on the Wisconsin guard for a long time.

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The Buffalo Bills have decided to use their first-round pick to draft Stephon Gilmore at No. 10 overall. While the Bengals' first pick is still seven picks away, this will obviously affect their game plan. The only other cornerback that many feel they could seriously be interested in is Dre Kirkpatrick and seven picks is a long time to see if he'll still be on the board. If they were to decide to pass up on him at No. 17, the time between the 18th, 19th and 20th picks would seem to take forever too and there's a very good chance that he wouldn't be on the board at No. 21.

The Bengals Need a cornerback. Leon Hall may not be fully recovered from his Achilles injury at the beginning of the season and even though the Bengals have signed free agents like Jason Allen, Terence Newman and re-signed Adam Jones and even though they still have Nate Clements, after the 2012 season, the only starter-worthy corners will be Hall and Allen. The Bengals will need a guy like Dre Kirkpatrick to start opposite of Leon Hall in 2013.

Due to the fact that Gilmore is no longer available, the Bengals may feel pressured to use the No. 17 overall pick on Kirkpatrick and then pick the best player available at No. 21. We'll have to wait and see.

Since the 2012 NFL draft is tomorrow night, we had our pre-draft special tonight. I was joined by Anthony Cosenza, Joe Goodberry, Dave Wellman and our producer Jason Blanton on Real Football Talk with CincyJungle.com tonight as we discussed the draft and what the Bengals will do and what they should do.

We went through and named who we felt are the most important positions both on offense and defense, we took some calls, we discussed some players that could be taken in the later rounds and who the Bengals could take a look at after the first couple rounds.

Then, with the last third of the show, we went through the first round, pick-by-pick, from No. 1 through No. 21 to decide who the Bengals would take with their two first-round picks. To find out who we selected, you'll have to listen.

You can do that right here.

Thanks to our listeners and callers and thanks to our sponsors, Art of Smiles Dentistry -- transforming your smiles into beautiful works of art. Follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook and call them at 513-367-4441 to find out what their latest promotion is.

The NFL is a passing league and there isn't a single football fan that can possibly argue against that fact. While there are successful teams that know how to run the ball, play tough defense and not much else, in the end, the teams that win the Super Bowl know how to move the ball down the field through the air. The 2009 Bengals are a prime example. They went 10-6 through the regular season, sweeping one of the toughest divisions in the league, but in the end they were knocked out of the playoffs because they couldn't throw the ball.

While the Bengals need a new No. 2 receiver to help their offense, they also need a cornerback to prevent teams from moving the ball down the field on the air against them. After all, defense wins games.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis knows this. He knows the Bengals are in need of a new cornerback, especially to replace Johnathan Joseph, who they let slip through their fingers, and this draft is a perfect time for them to find somebody.

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The draft is just a day away and there's plenty to talk about so we're going to get to talking. Join us tonight at 7:30 p.m. (ET) to discuss the 2012 NFL draft. I'll be joined by Anthony Cosenza, Joe Goodberry, Dave Wellman and our producer Jason Blanton and we'll be previewing the first round, as well as the rest of the rounds, of the 2012 NFL draft as well as discussing the Bengals' needs.

Remember you can call in at 661-449-9301 to share your thoughts and opinions on the team's draft needs and you can listen to the show right here.

Thanks to our supporters and our listeners and thanks to our sponsors at Art of Smiles Dentistry. Check them out on Twitter and Facebook and give them a call at 513-367-4441 to find out what their latest promotion is. Also, we'll be implementing a new feature called the "Art of Smiles Dentistry In-Your-Grill Question of the Week." Ask your question in the comments section of this post and we'll read it and answer it on the air.

Don't miss tonight, it's going to be a great show.