Joe Burrow has already taken the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl and returned them to the AFC Championship Game one year later.
But there is an impression that his strongest opportunity may still be ahead due to an improved defensive line.
During Friday’s “Get Up,” former NFL wide receiver Harry Douglas was asked whether the 2026 season represents Burrow’s best chance to win a championship.
Douglas pointed immediately toward the side of the ball opposite Burrow.
“They have massive upgrades along their defensive line,” Douglas said in a clip shared by the show. “They are going to be better.”
That improvement could decide whether the Bengals’ aggressive offseason produces another deep January run or extends a playoff drought that has reached three seasons.
Douglas Backs Bengals’ Defensive Overhaul
Douglas’ optimism starts with a front that barely resembles the group Cincinnati carried through last season.
The Bengals traded the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL draft to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, then gave the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle a one-year extension. Cincinnati also signed Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe during free agency, adding two experienced linemen around Lawrence.
The overhaul reached the secondary as well, where Bryan Cook joined the roster after four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Those moves followed a season in which the defense left Burrow with almost no margin for error.
NFL.com noted that Cincinnati finished 30th in points allowed and 31st in total defense in 2025. The Bengals also lost seven games over the past two seasons when their offense scored at least 33 points.
That somber history explains why Douglas focused on the positive developments with the defensive line.
Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have already shown they can produce enough points for a contender. The offense ranked among the league’s most dangerous groups when Burrow stayed healthy, but shootouts became a weekly requirement, and that’s not sustainable en route to the big dance.
On the defensive side, potential has soared.
Lawrence gives Cincinnati the interior anchor it lacked, while Allen adds another proven pass rusher inside. Mafe offers a younger presence off the edge.
The Bengals can now rotate established players instead of placing a burden on select players to carry the entire pressure plan.
Burrow Still Carries the Biggest Variable
The defense may have changed the prospective future, but Burrow’s availability will determine whether Cincinnati reaches it.
A toe injury limited him to eight games in 2025, as he finished with 1,809 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Bengals fell to 6-11.
His previous full season showed what remains possible.
Burrow threw for 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024, yet Cincinnati still missed the playoffs because its early-season losses created another climb that proved too steep.
Burrow has publicly embraced the expectations.
He called the current group the most talented Bengals roster of his career in May and predicted Cincinnati would win the Super Bowl.
That confidence carries more weight after the front office finally attacked the defense with premium resources.
The Bengals’ giving away a top-10 pick for Lawrence and adding multiple veteran starters signals the type of urgency often necessary for a championship berth.
Their earlier run to Super Bowl LVI came before Burrow entered his prime and before Chase or Higgins had reached their current standing.
The 2026 team carries more experience, a deeper defensive front and the scars from three consecutive seasons spent outside the playoffs.
Douglas’ forecast rests on the fact that Cincinnati doesn’t need Burrow to surpass his 2024 production.
Rather, the defense needs to make 30 points feel like enough to win again.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Cincinnati Bengals’ ‘Massive Upgrades’ Boost Joe Burrow’s Super Bowl Chances appeared first on HEAVY.