Ever since the Cincinnati Bengals took the AFC North division title in 2015, the franchise has been on a downward trajectory ever since. It eventually coming to a head in 2019 as the team suffered through its worst season since 2002, finishing with a league worst 2-14 record.
A first year head coach and a plethora of injuries to key players doomed the team from the start last season. This year, with a new face leading the franchise in No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, the Bengals could jump back into contention quicker than you may think.
Coming off a 2-14 campaign, it’s easy to overlook this Bengals squad. But in reality, they still have a more talented roster than most 2-14 teams, they just suffered significant injuries to a handful of key positions. All-Pro wideout A.J. Green being the most notable.
Quarterback Andy Dalton missed three games, wideout John Ross missed half of the season and the team’s first round pick, left tackle Jonah Williams, missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury.
While Dalton has obviously been replaced by Burrow, both Ross and Williams should return to their starting roles in 2020. On paper, Burrow will have a very solid group of weapons to work with as a rookie.
Wideout Tyler Boyd played very well in Green’s absence last season, hauling in 90 catches for over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. Running back Joe Mixon also had a stellar 2019 campaign, rushing for over 1,000 yards and finding the end zone a total of eight times.
Throw A.J. Green and John Ross back into the equation, and suddenly the Bengals have a very formidable wideout group. Not to mention rookie second round pick Tee Higgins, who figures to play a role in Zac Taylor’s offense early on.
A stellar wide receiving group, a Pro Bowl caliber running back and a re-tooled offensive line should help Burrow’s transition to the NFL immensely. The real question lies with Zac Taylor and whether he’s actually the man for the job.
His first season as the head man in Cincinnati was about as bad as it can get, but a lot of the issues can be attributed to inconsistent quarterback play and an abundance of injuries to key starters. While injuries are impossible to plan for, the inconsistent quarterback play should subside a bit with Burrow, even though he’s just a rookie.
The Bengals are trending in the right direction, and with Joe Burrow leading the way, the product we see on the field in 2020 will surprise some fans.
