Hanging over the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason has been the rumor that star quarterback Joe Burrow is discontent. With that, and a seemingly wide-open AFC North, the Bengals set forward this offseason to build a championship-caliber team.
The biggest move came in the form of trading the No. 10 overall pick for Dexter Lawrence. That wasn’t all the Bengals did, though. Cincinnati would also sign Jonathan Allen along the defensive line, Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger in the secondary, and went to work in the NFL Draft.
Most of the effort this offseason has been focused on the defensive side of the ball. That doesn’t bother Burrow, though. In fact, he’s excited about the talent he’s going to be able to play with now.
“They’re going to keep getting great players to come play for the Bengals,” Burrow said. “And when they do that, then it’s my job and Zac’s job and the leaders of this team to bring the locker room together and then go execute on the field. We have everything we need.”
For three seasons now, the Bengals haven’t been able to make the playoffs. Defense was a massive issue last season. Cincinnati gave up 492 points in the regular season, which was 30th in the NFL. Only the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets were worse.
“We made a big trade for a big-time player. Signed a free agent top safety on the market, And, other additions. We’ll see how the rookies end up … But first impressions, we’ve got guys that care about the game, care about their job, and want to be great. When you have young guys like that and veterans like we do, it’s a recipe for success,” Burrow added.
Joe Burrow is Excited for the Cincinnati Bengals Leadership on Defense
GettyCincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow
A major effort this offseason was to add to the defensive line. However, the Bengals were looking for a particular type of player along the defensive line — veterans with leadership qualities. That’s something Joe Burrow took notice of and is excited for.
“You can feel the vibe and the leadership has changed in the locker room a little bit,” Burrow said. “It’s exciting for everyone. B. Cook, in the limited time he’s been here, you can feel his presence early. Dexter, too. A lot of guys on the D-Line now. You have Jonathan Allen. Myles (Murphy) is walking around with a little more pep in his step this year. That’s exciting to see. I think he grew in confidence from the last five, six games. We need to carry that over, and I’m excited to see that.”
The Bengals did suffer a major loss along the defensive line. Star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson exited in free agency. That will contribute a major way to how the Bengals are built along the line.
Edge rusher ended up being where the Bengals spent their second-round pick, and first pick as a team in the NFL Draft. Cashius Howell now hopes to make his impact felt as a rookie. With veteran leadership to show him the ropes, he should have a leg up.
NFL Executives Expect Burrow to Make a Major Decision Next Offseason
GettyCincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow has worked hard to make it seem outwardly like he’s happy with the Cincinnati Bengals. That hasn’t stopped the rumors, though, and rumors are still running rampant.
There is a good way to end those rumors, though, have a strong season. Of course, even with another bad season, one anonymous AFC executive doesn’t think it would make sense for the Bengals to move on from Burrow.
“I just don’t see them ever moving him,” an AFC executive said. “I think all of the posturing on his end was to make sure they were doing what they could to make the team better around him. He’s still too young and too good for them to move on.”
In all of that, it would be best if the Bengals can turn a successful offseason into a successful regular season to quiet the Burrow rumors. For now, though, it’s about as good a message as they could have hoped for.
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