Cincinnati Bengals: Top needs, NFL draft picks for 2017

As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Cincinnati Bengals must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their 6-9-1 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Bengals' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

Cincinnati's playoff streak of five consecutive seasons was snapped in 2016, but head coach Marvin Lewis will return with the goal to solidify the offensive line and get the ground game going again. The Bengals will be deciding whether to re-sign tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard Kevin Zeitler.

On defense, the inside tandem of Geno Atkins and Domata Peko could be broken up if Peko isn't re-signed.

THE BREAKDOWN

2016 finish: 3rd in AFC North (6-9-1)

STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 356.9 (13th)

RUSHING: 110.6 (13th)

PASSING: 246.4 (15th)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 350.8 (17th)

RUSHING: 113.3 (21st)

PASSING: 237.5 (11th)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

*Under UFA=Option not expected to be exercised; expected to be released

TOP 3 NEEDS

RUNNING BACK

Jeremy Hill was inconsistent at best the past two seasons and, with Rex Burkhead likely to bolt in free agency, depth is needed.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh (25, $1.03M)

*Adrian Peterson, Minnesota (32 in March, $14M)

LeGarrette Blount, New England (31 in December, $1M)

Latavius Murray, Oakland (27, $567K)

Eddie Lacy, Green Bay (27 June, $848K)

Darren McFadden, Dallas (30 in August, $1.5M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/5 Dalvin Cook, Florida State, 5-11, 206, 4.43, 1 (underclassman)

2/9 Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, 4.45, 1 (underclassman)

3/24 Christian McCaffrey, Stanford, 6-0, 202, 4.48, 1 (underclassman)

4/60 Alvin Kamara, Tennessee, 5-10, 215, 4.62, 2 (underclassman)

5/86 Joe Mixon, Oklahoma, 6-1, 226, 4.50, 3 (underclassman)

OFFENSIVE LINE

It couldn't hurt to add some depth here if veterans Andrew Whitworth, Eric Winston and Kevin Zeitler leave in free agency.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

OT:

*Russell Okung, Denver (29 in October, $10.6M)

Rick Wagner, Baltimore (28 in October, $576K)

Luke Joeckel, Jacksonville (G; 26 in November, $5.3M)

Matt Kalil, Minnesota (injury; 28 in July, $4.94M)

G/C

T.J. Lang, Green Bay (G/injury; 30 in September, $5.2M)

Ronald Leary, Dallas (G; 28 in April, $2.55M)

JC Tretter, Green Bay (C; 26, $644K)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

OT:

1/14 Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-5, 314, 5.29, 1 (underclassman)

2/25 Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 310, 5.28, 1 (underclassman)

3/38 Garett Bolles, Utah, 6-5, 296, 4.97, 1-2 (underclassman)

OG:

1/33 Dan Feeney, Indiana, 6-4, 304, 5.09, 1-2

2/35 Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky, 6-4, 305, 5.12, 1-2

1/64 Ethan Pocic, LSU, 6-6, 307, 5.18, 2

2/80 Pat Elflein, Ohio State, 6-2, 300, 5.22, 2-3

KICKER

Head coach Marvin Lewis expects there to be competition at kicker in training camp. Mike Nugent was cut during the season and journeyman Randy Bullock, who is a free agent, was signed.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Phil Dawson, San Francisco (42, $3.1M)

Greg Zuerlein, L.A. Rams (30 in December, $1.25M)

Nick Novak, Houston (36 in August, $965K)

Steven Hauschka, Seattle (32 in June, $2.85M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/196 Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State, 6-0, 201, 4.91, 5-6

2/219 Jake Elliott, Memphis, 5-09, 166, 4.82, 6

3/337 Adam Griffith, Alabama, 5-10, 191, 4.87, 7-FA

4/424 Rigoberto Sanchez, Hawaii, 5-11, 188, 4.97, FA

5/469 Conrad Ukropina, Stanford, 6-0, 192, 4.92, FA

UFA KEEPERS

T Andrew Whitworth (36 in December, $9M)

G Kevin Zeitler (27 in March, $1.89M)

DT Domata Peko (33 in November, $4.5M)

RB Rex Burkhead (27 in July, $566K)

ROSTER REVIEW

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Andy Dalton. Backups -- AJ McCarron, Jeff Driskel.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- Jeremy Hill, *Giovani Bernard. Backups -- Rex Burkhead (UFA), Cedric Peerman (UFA), Ryan Hewitt, Tra Carson.

TIGHT ENDS: Starters -- *Tyler Eifert. Backups -- C.J. Uzomah, Tyler Kroft.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- *A.J. Green, Brandon LaFell (UFA), Tyler Boyd. Backups -- Alex Erickson, Cody Core, James Wright, Jake Kumerow.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Andrew Whitworth (UFA), *RT Cedric Ogbuehi, C Russell Bodine, RG Kevin Zeitler (UFA), *LG Clint Boling. Backups -- RT Eric Winston (UFA), RT Jake Fisher, C T.J. Johnson, RG Christian Westerman.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LDE Carlos Dunlap, NT Domata Peko (UFA), DT Geno Atkins, RDE Michael Johnson. Backups -- LDE Margus Hunt (UFA), NT Pat Sims, DT DeShawn Williams, *DT Marcus Hardison, DT Andrew Billings, RDE Will Clarke, RDE Wallace Gilberry (UFA), *DT Brandon Thompson.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- SLB Karlos Dansby (UFA), MLB Rey Maualuga, *WLB Vontaze Burfict. Backups -- SLB Marquis Flowers, SLB P.J. Dawson, MLB Vincent Rey, MLB Trevor Roach, WLB Nick Vigil.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Dre Kirkpatrick (UFA), RCB Adam Jones, SS Shawn Williams, FS George Iloka. Backups -- RCB Josh Shaw, RCB KeiVarae Russell, RCB Darqueze Dennard, SS Clayton Fejedelem, FS Derron Smith, *CB William Jackson, *CB Chykie Brown (UFA).

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Randy Bullock (UFA), P Kevin Huber, PR Adam Jones, KOR Alex Erickson, LS Clark Harris, K Zach Hocker (UFA).