3 Draft Picks the Bengals Gave up on Too Early

The Cincinnati Bengals have high expectations heading into the 2020 regular season. They only mustered two wins in 2019, but that allowed them to select their potential quarterback of the future in Joe Burrow. With a promising draft class on the horizon, Bengals fans are surely hoping these guys pan out and the team keeps them around for the long haul.

After all, Cincy won't want to see them leave too early like these three guys did.

3. Kevin Zeitler

The Bengals let Kevin Zeitler walk and watched him progress into a great offensive guard. / Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Imagine letting one of your best offensive linemen walk in free agency for nothing. Leave it to the Bengals to accomplish that embarrassing feat. Cincinnati used their 2012 first-round pick to select guard Kevin Zeitler, and the move immediately paid dividends. In fact, Zeitler only allowed four sacks in his rookie season, which is damn impressive. Of course, the Bengals let him hit the open market and watched him sign a lucrative deal with the Cleveland Browns. Zeitler would be traded to the New York Giants in 2019, and the Browns' offensive line was shockingly was unproductive in his absence.

2. Takeo Spikes

Takeo Spikes would get better once leaving Cincinnati. / George Gojkovich/Getty Images

That's right, the man with the biggest neck in NFL history was initially a Bengal. With the 13th overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Cincinnati selected Auburn linebacker Takeo Spikes. He was an absolute iron man throughout his five seasons with the Bengals, as he missed just one game in that span. Spikes tallied a total of 571 tackles (40 for loss), 14.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, 5 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles. His run in Cincinnati reached its end in 2003 after the Buffalo Bills signed Spikes to a $32 million offer sheet, which the Bengals refused to match. Spikes went on to make the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons with the Bills and was a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2004.

1. Mohamed Sanu

Mohamed Sanu was a strong target for Andy Dalton, so of course the Bengals let him leave in free agency. / Norm Hall/Getty Images

Yeah, we know Mohamed Sanu was a non-factor with the New England Patriots this past season, but we're going to ignore that. The Bengals took the former Rutgers standout in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Sanu played a small role in the Bengals offense through his first two seasons, but he broke out his third year after AJ Green and Marvin Jones went down with injuries. That season, Sanu caught 56 passes for 790 yards and 5 touchdowns. Once his contract expired in 2016, Sanu signed with the Atlanta Falcons on a five-year deal, and made the Bengals regret not keeping him. Sanu tallied 225 catches for 2,507 yards and 26 touchdowns on his career with Atlanta and helped the team reach Super Bowl LI. His numbers across three-plus seasons with the Falcons blew his Bengals stats out of the water.