Instant analysis of Bengals picking Cashius Howell in the second round

The Cincinnati Bengals had the board fall in an ideal manner to start Day 2 of the NFL draft and wound up picking Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell at No. 41.

Howell, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last year by way of his 11.5 sacks over 13 games, adds another element to the Bengals’ pass-rushing room on the front seven of a rebuilding defense.

This pick marks another massive investment by the Bengals in pressure-creating players, as Howell joins former first-round edge defenders Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy on the depth chart.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com likes Howell as an eventual “plus starter” down the road:

“Bendy edge rusher with standout sack totals. Burst and elusiveness are on Howell’s rush menu and he pairs it with a refreshing inside spin counter. Though threatening, his rush could use more cohesive sequencing and better hand work to fully unlock its potential. As a run defender he’s frequently knocked around at the point and struggles to consistently execute tasks asked of an NFL edge-setter. Howell might not be a three-down player right away, but his ability to create pressure sets him up for a role as a designated rusher, at minimum.”

After using the 10th overall pick to acquire Dexter Lawrence to fix a massive issue on the interior of the defense, the Bengals add to the depth with Howell.

This offseaosn, the Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample on the edge, so Howell arrives as a third or fourth option, when accounting for the free-agency splurge on Mafe.