For years, the Cincinnati Bengals have been a contender on paper, but not in reality. Outside of that one Super Bowl trip in 2021, Joe Burrow's team has often fallen short of expectations, and he's actually gone just 4-6 in his career against the Cleveland Browns.
Most of the Bengals' struggles have come on the defensive side of the ball. They can't seem to get stops when it matters most, and their inability to shut down the pass or generate pressure at the line of scrimmage has been painfully obvious in recent seasons.
That's why FanSided's NFL Draft Big Board carries terrible news for the Browns — and the entire AFC North, for that matter. Bengals site expert Matt Fitzgerald has Cincinnati using the No. 10 pick to land Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, and that scenario could spell trouble.
"Styles represents an absolute dream first-round selection who'd bolster Cincinnati's woeful linebackers corps with a future franchise cornerstone," Fitzgerald wrote.
This projected pick could give the Bengals a defensive weapon Cleveland can’t ignore
While positional value will probably take him outside of the top five picks, Sonny Styles is a top-five-caliber talent in this class. His ability to line up all over the line of scrimmage, ball skills, and coverage prowess make him a do-it-all linebacker tailor-made for modern-day defenses.
Styles can rush the passer off the edge or stuff the run in the middle of the box. He's also athletic and fast enough to hold his ground when he drops back in coverage and, as a former safety, has better hands and ball-tracking skills than the average linebacker.
He's an athletic freak who won high school state championships in both football and basketball, and he made a massive impact for the Buckeyes, earning the team's signature "Block O" jersey, given to its strongest and most competitive leaders.
For years, the Bengals' defense has been easy to pick apart and bully. Even the Browns, a team that has admittedly struggled to move the chains and put up points on the scoreboard, have fared better against them than against most teams.
Landing Styles would be a big step toward fixing that. Last season, the Bengals gave up the second-most total yards per game (392.6), the third-most points per game (28.9), and the most rushing yards per game (147.1).
That said, the Browns will likely enter next season with a revamped offense and the same strong pass-rush unit they've had for years. And with a new head coach in Todd Monken, it's time to send a message in the AFC North.