The Cincinnati Bengals saw their season end at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs 25-17 on New Year’s Eve. The loss was a microcosm of Cincinnati’s entire 2023 campaign. The defense gave up too many explosive plays, and the offense went cold after being shut out in the second half. The Bengals have a huge offseason in front of them with many key players that will hit free agency. They also find themselves in an identity crisis in the rugged AFC North. The other teams in the division are built to run, and all have stellar defenses with athletic EDGE rushers. The other aspect that can’t be ignored for the Orange and Black is the lack of athleticism and speed across the board. The mindset of the Bengals front office needs to change in the way they evaluate. This is especially evident on the offensive line where they have been reluctant to draft talent with more athletic profiles.
The Cincinnati Bengals Need to Get More Athleticism This Offseason
Offensive Line
Even though the Bengals entire starting OL has played in every game together, the results haven’t shown up. The five of Orlando Brown Jr., Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, and Jonah Williams played well at times, but when it matters most, they often were bullied at the point of attack leaving Joe Burrow or Jake Browning no chance. This group has also been abysmal in the running game which makes you wonder if OL coach and running game coordinator Frank Pollack survives this offseason.
The player personnel department for the Bengals isn’t absolved of blame either. They need to adapt to the way they look at building an offensive line. This includes drafting and bringing in free agents who can get in space to block but are also agile enough to handle the EDGE rushers that lurk in the AFC North. If they fail to realign their thinking, it may be another long year for Cincinnati in 2024.
Defensive Line
The elevated profile the Bengals need to consider also extends to the defensive line. Although Trey Hendrickson is having the best season of his career, he is often a one-man island that can’t do everything. Cincinnati gets very little contribution in critical moments from the rest of the defensive front. The biggest culprits are reserved for the interior of the line. Even when DJ Reader was healthy, the supporting cast was repeatedly getting gashed in the running game while providing little pressure up the middle to affect opposing quarterbacks. This is where the Bengals need to turn to free agency to get an immediate-impact player they can insert on opening day. This allows them to still draft a defensive tackle in the early rounds so that they can develop into a player that gets more consistent snaps.
Skill Positions
With the future up in the air for Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd with limited contributions from rookies Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas, the Bengals also need to get deeper at wide receiver. Add running back and tight end to the positions that need upgrading for the Bengals. Joe Mixon will turn 28 next year and seems to be on the back nine of his career. First-year player Chase Brown flashed but fought injury throughout his freshman season. Lastly, Cincinnati needs desperately to draft a tight end who is a viable threat in the passing game to help Burrow maximize the offense’s potential. It should be a busy couple of months in the front offices of Paycor Stadium to rebuild this roster in hopes of extending the Bengals Super Bowl window for years to come.
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