Get ready for a King's Island thrill ride when the Bengals strap it up for their first pick in the NFL Draft Thursday night.

While director of player personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged Monday they need to elevate defense and that they'll most likely take a linemen to do it at some point, he also suggested offense isn't off the board at No. 17.

"We're wide open in the first round," Tobin said in his annual pre-draft press conference at Paycor Stadium. "There are a lot of good players at a lot of different positions, and that's something we're working through with our coaching staff and our scouting staff. A lot of guys are worthy of the pick, and we'll see what's there for us when we go."

Unlike last year when the Bengals plucked right tackle Amarius Mims in the first round, a sure-fire starter at some point early in his rookie year, Tobin said he doesn't see a rookie crashing the starting lineup. But he does see regular roles for some draft picks.

"I think we've got starters across the board. If some young rookie can come in and win that job, that's fantastic," Tobin said. "Gone are the days of you take a guy for three years from now. In my opinion, those days are gone. You need real quick development and production. Some production out of your young guys. So we're looking for that."

But defense was never far from the thoughts of Tobin and head coach Zac Taylor after he followed Tobin to the podium.

"Maybe we have our finances dedicated a little heavier on offense, because some of the big-ticket items we have over there, but certainly we want to win a championship," said Taylor, part of a draft room that has taken offense four times in the first round to start his six drafts.

"And you've got to have a championship level defense to do that. We have a lot of ingredients over there that help us go in that direction, and you still have the draft to help yourself finalize that."

As the Bengals peruse a first round fraught with defensive linemen at both tackle and edge, Tobin is clearly pleased with the hire of new defensive coordinator Al Golden, their former linebackers coach on the 2021 Super Bowl team. With Golden making the move after three years as the coordinator at Notre Dame, Tobin believes he's a nice fit with a player personnel department that scouts both college and pro players.

"He was a fantastic scout when he was here before. He works at it. He really, really, truly works at it and that's what I really respect about him," Tobin said. "I value his opinion. He's seen a lot. He's seen guys from college. He's seen guys from pro. He's seen guys that have transitioned from college to pro, which is the real key to scouting.

"Like a lot of great coaches, and Al's a great coach, he's going to maximize the guys that are in the building. That's job one. He knows that. And we're going to get him the best players available to do that. He's a big part of what we're doing up there in the draft room. And what he says holds a weight with me. It really does. Because I want this to work. I want his vision to work. And he's got a very clear vision and it's been great working with him on it."

The Bengals' biggest moves in free agency came when they re-signed their own players, such as franchise wide receiver Tee Higgins and 65-catch tight end Mike Gesicki. Plus, Tobin said Golden and defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery were key voices in retaining defensive leader at tackle B.J. Hill and sack runner-up leader Joseph Ossai on the edge.

"We got with Al and his staff and really went over what we're looking for and a lot of what we had in guys like B.J. Hill and Joseph Ossai. They had real roles for, and we were happy to get them back," Tobin said. "We were not the only bidders, believe me. There were a lot of teams bidding … You can throw Mike Gesicki in there on the other side of the ball, you know, we were real happy (with free agency)."

The internal signings muted the impact of what they felt were key additions from other clubs in free agency. They got one of the league's top run-stuffers in Packers nose tackle T.J. Slaton Jr., a Montgomery disciple, as well as a vet who has started 58 games in the decade at both guards and center for the Packers, Bears and Saints in Lucas Patrick. They also inked a backup linebacker, Oren Burks, who has started the last two Super Bowls for different teams.

Not to mention the return of Samaje Perine, the backup running back who excelled here in the postseason runs of 2021 and 2022.

Tobin wasn't handing out starting jobs Monday, but he said their week in free agency has set them up for the draft.

"We were able to add a nose tackle that we have history with our D-line coach, that we think is a really good fit for us. A starting level nose tackle," Tobin said. "We were able to add a linebacker with a lot of starting experience. (He) started (in the Eagles') playoff run. He's a Super Bowl champ, and so he's been on big stages, so we were really happy with that.

"We got an interior offensive lineman with a lot of starting experience. We were happy for that. Samaje Perine, we know exactly how he fits for us, and he can produce in our system, so we were happy with that. And then the guys we got back and the guys we extended, we feel really good about it. We still have the draft ahead of us."

Tobin had no updates on what's ahead for NFL sack champion Trey Hendrickson and linebacker Germaine Pratt, the most experienced Bengal on defense. Both have requested trades, but Tobin wouldn't say if they're on the market this weekend. He did indicate they continue to talk to Hendrickson's side about an extension.