By getting the number one draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft it would appear that the Cincinnati Bengals have struck quarterback gold. He was a local kid that played high school at Athens High School in The Plains, Ohio.
NFL Success
That final season at LSU culminated with Joe Burrow being drafted number one overall by the Bengals. His rookie season, however, got derailed after a stellar start with a season-ending knee injury and many wondered if he would return to form and how long that might take. In 2021, after drafting his college teammate Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals proceeded to take the league by storm as Burrow did indeed return to action and even better than before. He took his Bengals all the way to the Super Bowl. The Bengals had an opportunity after the Los Angeles Rams took the lead to come back and win the game but unfortunately fell short. This past season, the success continued and Burrow took his team all the way back to the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, and for the first time in his career, Burrow and the Bengals lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. To say the future is brighter for this franchise than it has ever been would be a huge understatement. This is mostly because Burrow has shown sustained success and the ability to compete with the top players and teams in the league. The only question now is when, not if, the Bengals will finally win their first Super Bowl.
Team Needs
The best thing to unlock Burrow’s in-game cheat codes is to keep him upright and as such, the Bengals could certainly use some more consistency up-front with their offensive line. Taylor Lewan was recently released from the Tennessee Titans and might be a good fit to help shore up the offensive line for them. Another possible target in free agency would be Isaac Seumalo formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles. He is the top-rated free-agent offensive lineman available and could certainly bring the stability needed on this line to keep Burrow healthy. Outside of free agency, of course, they can use some picks in the upcoming NFL draft to grab a top offensive lineman as well. Outside of shoring up the line another position they could look to solidify would be Tight End. Hayden Hurst underperformed for Cincinnati last year and they could use an upgrade in that skill position. Depending on who is available when they are on the clock at the NFL draft, there may be some enticing prospects. If Michael Mayer, Dalton Kincaid, or Darnell Washington are available when they are on the clock with the 28th pick it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab one of them. Having a consistent and reliable check-down for Burrow could also help keep him upright if he has an outlet when no one else is open. There will also be some holes on the defense as they will likely lose some key players like Jessie Bates in free agency that they will need to look at filling either through free agency or the draft.
Main Photo: Cara Owsley – The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
