CINCINNATI -- As soon as Andy Dalton learned receiver Marvin Jones had rebuffed the Cincinnati Bengals' free agency offer last month and instead took a five-year, $40 million deal to play with the Detroit Lions, his mind quickly turned to one question.

"Who is the next guy going to be?"

"That's what you do and that's what everybody has been talking about," Dalton, the Bengals' starting quarterback, said earlier this week. "It's not like we're hurting completely at these positions because we've got so much talent there."

With a pass-catching roster that includes perennial Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green, past Super Bowl champ Brandon LaFell and 2015's most prolific scoring tight end, Tyler Eifert, maybe the Bengals' passing offense isn't in completely dire straits. The Bengals also are hopeful young receivers James Wright, Mario Alford and Jake Kumerow can make an impact this summer and fall.

Still, replacing the holes left by the departures of Jones and fellow receiver Mohamed Sanu has been Cincinnati's primary concern for the past month. At one point replacements themselves, Jones and Sanu were drafted in 2012, weeks after Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell weren't retained during free agency.

"Those guys were very successful here and they were able to do a lot and that allowed them to get the contracts they got," Dalton said of Jones and Sanu. "They were able to get the money they deserved and from that standpoint, I'm happy. Obviously I wish they would have stayed, but I understand it."

Expect the Bengals to look for their next Jones and Sanu next week when they draft one or two receivers and attempt to sign others as undrafted free agents.

Regardless how the draft shakes out, the Bengals contend they aren't dwelling on the past.

"There's plenty of opportunities for [the holes at receiver] to take care of itself," Eifert said. "It doesn't really matter who we have at receiver as far as my mindset goes. I'm just trying to be the best player I can be and be as productive as I can be to help this team win. So whether we have three guys that can be No. 1 receivers or not, it doesn't really change the mindset going into it."

Dalton admitted he's glad to worry about this replacement receiver issue at this stage in his career as opposed to earlier in his career.

"It's easier to do now than if it had been my first year or second year," Dalton said. "All the guys we're going to get in here [through the draft] are going to be willing to listen, willing to learn, willing to be in the right spots. If they do that, we'll be just fine."

Who could the Bengals' new receivers end up being? In his latest mock draft published Thursday morning, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay decided TCU receiver Josh Doctson made for a good fit. In seven days we'll find out if the Bengals agree as they keep their minds trained on the future.