When an NFL team has an elite quarterback, it can afford to change up its draft strategy and grasp at upside.

The Cincinnati Bengals trip to the 2025 NFL draft was an obvious example of this for most of the team’s six picks. It started right at the very top with first-rounder Shemar Stewart, a superb example of traits vs. production after notably low sacks total but huge apparent upside.

One NFL executive told The Athletic’s Mike Sando that teams like the Bengals and Buffalo Bills can afford to take those types of risks.

“They did it with the middle linebacker (Demetrius Knight Jr.) too,” an exec said. “He is not really complete, but he is a b—- coming downhill and whacking people. Where they picked and where they are as a team is different. Anytime you’ve got a quarterback like Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Tom Brady and those guys, you can take some risks because they will fix it for you.”

The trick now, of course, is the Bengals making the most of those gambles by developing the players properly. They need Stewart to pan out as a rotational contributor right now before they even think about hoping he can eventually replace some of Trey Hendrickson’s production beyond 2025. They’re also hoping a third-round guard can pull an Amarius Mims.

And in the example the executive provided, the Bengals don’t mind if Demetrius Knight is a little one-note if it means he can instantly fill that Germaine Pratt role while developing the other parts of his game for later.

While the Bengals didn’t receive overwhelmingly positive grades for their trip to the draft, what really matters are the grades three-plus years out — that’s a verdict the Bengals must influence with strong rookie development as soon as this summer.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow enabled Bengals’ bold draft strategy, says NFL exec