CINCINNATI — Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano ran through the draft history for every NFL team to see their top hypothetical throughout the years. He landed on Cincinnati taking Penei Sewell over Ja’Marr Chase as his top “What if?” for the Bengals.

Cincinnati selected Chase with the fifth overall pick in 2021. Sewell, a two-time All-Pro at left tackle, went seventh overall.

“The football public screamed at the Bengals to draft Sewell after Joe Burrow’s stellar rookie season was cut short due to a torn ACL,” Manzano wrote. “But Burrow wanted his LSU teammate, Chase, and the Bengals obliged by drafting him with the No. 5 pick. Cincinnati hasn’t exactly had stout offensive lines since this draft, but it didn’t stop them from annually having one of the best offenses in the league with Burrow and Chase leading the charge. As for Sewell, the No. 7 pick, he landed in Detroit and has flourished as one of the best tackles in the league.”

It’s safe to say both sides are happy with their top-10 decisions that year.

The two are now locked in on long-term rookie extensions following stellar play across their first deals.

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