The Cincinnati Bengals had a 2019 season to forget, culminating in a 2-14 record and a last place finish in the entire NFL. Without question, it wasn’t what rookie head coach Zac Taylor had hoped for when he signed on the dotted line. Some of the struggles were what one might commonly expect from a first-year coach finding his footing, but a lot of it just came down to bad luck.
A lingering foot injury kept star wide receiver A.J. Green sidelined for the entire season. The team benched long-time starter Andy Dalton for three games in favor of fourth-round rookie Ryan Finley, before ultimately returning to Dalton at the end of the year. The team’s draft class was decimated by injuries. It was the kind of campaign where nothing worked out.
All of this led to a year of misery and an offense that ranked 30th in the league. It doesn’t get much worse than that, but fortunately, 2019 is in the rear-view mirror and this franchise is moving forward. In spite of all that happened a year ago there is plenty of optimism going forward, particularly for a revival on the offensive side of the football.
Cincinnati Bengals Offense Is Built for Excitement
The benefit of having the worst record in the league was that it afforded the franchise the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Of course, by now you know the team spent that selection on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. It’s become almost cliche to state that he is coming off one of the greatest collegiate seasons any quarterback has ever produced, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Burrow led the Tigers to an undefeated 15-0 season and a National Championship, winning the Heisman Trophy in the process, while throwing for 5,671 yards, 50 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.
Yes, I’d say that’s a fairly solid performance.
Burrow is a lock to be the team’s Week One starter, particularly in the aftermath of the franchise releasing Dalton. While it’s a tough task to get a 2-14 squad back on track, particularly in a division as tough as the AFC North, Burrow won’t have any shortage of talent around him.
In fact, the Bengals doubled down in the second round and drafted Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins with the first pick of day two. These two young men will have the chance to grow together at the NFL level and the hope is that they can form a dynamic combination for years to come. Of course, it can’t be ignored that the two rookies are set to join an offense that already boasts some quality talent.
A Feature Back
Running back Joe Mixon has now cleared 1,110 yards rushing in consecutive seasons, despite playing on less-than-stellar offenses during that span. Mixon hasn’t always seen as generous a workload as he’s deserved, but the team really leaned on him down the stretch in 2019 and he produced some of his best football. The former Oklahoma Sooner rushed for over 130 yards in three of his last four games and absolutely carried the offense on his back.
In 2020, the coaching staff needs to make better use of his considerable skills as a pass-catcher, but first on the docket is signing him to a new contract. Mixon is entering the final year of his deal and there have been unsubstantiated rumblings that he might hold out if there isn’t any movement on that front. It’s pivotal that the Bengals have him in the mix as they ease their new quarterback into the equation.
Depth at Receiver
The Bengals franchise tagged the aforementioned Green in the off-season, and even though he clearly would rather have a long-term deal of his own, the veteran has indicated that he has no plans to stage any sort of holdout. Turning 32 in July and having missed 23 of his last 32 contests, he should be motivated and hungry in 2020. Even with an abridged off-season, it seems likely that he will form a strong connection with his rookie signal caller.
Tyler Boyd is one of the more underappreciated wideouts in the game, and has really stepped up while Green has been sidelined. In fact, the former 2016 second-rounder has cleared 75 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in consecutive seasons and at only 25, he still has years of high-end production in his future.
Former 2017 first-round pick John Ross has struggled with injuries and has only been able to suit up for 24 of a possible 48 professional contests. The fastest man in NFL Combine history, Ross has blazing 4.22 speed and has flashed some serious upside when he’s been on the field. In his first two contests in 2019, he snared 11 receptions for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Health has been the only issue, but there’s no question it’s derailed the early portion of his career.
Auden Tate had his moments a year ago as well, snaring 40 receptions for 575 yards and a touchdown in 12 games during his age 22 season. There’s some legitimate potential for long-term success with Tate, although he’s going to struggle to find playing time in a suddenly crowded receiver room.
Potential Breakouts and Anticipated Debuts
C.J. Uzomah and 2019 second-rounder Drew Sample will be relied on as the team’s top tight ends going forward, now that Tyler Eifert has moved on to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Uzomah has filled in admirably when Eifert has been sidelined in the past and hopes remain high for Sample, who rarely saw the field as a rookie due to both injury and a lack of involvement in the game plan.
The offensive line was a weakness for the Bengals last season, and many were surprised that they failed to address that need until selecting Hakeem Adeniji in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Having said that, this unit will be aided by the fact that 2019 first-round pick Jonah Williams will finally be a part of the equation. Williams missed the entirety of his rookie season with a torn labrum, but should step right in and provide quality protection for Burrow immediately.
The team released Cordy Glenn, who missed ten games of his own last season, and it’s expected that Williams will immediately occupy his spot. While the offensive line, as a whole, is still a major question mark, it’s reasonable to expect a measure of improvement.
The Immediate Future for the Cincinnati Bengals Offense
In spite of a less-than-stellar performance a year ago, the Cincinnati Bengals offense is loaded with talent heading into the 2020 campaign. With a potential franchise quarterback, an elite back with a three-down skill set, and no less than five quality receivers in the mix, there’s simply no shortage of ability in this unit. If one of Uzomah or Sample can contribute and the offensive line shows even marginal improvement, this team could be fun to watch much sooner than most realize.
Even in a tough division, the Bengals should be able to put up points on any of their competitors. The quarterback is always the key ingredient and with Burrow in the mix, this team could start building something very special from day one.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
