Cincinnati Bengals (Same Ole Bengals)

[ScriptOhio]

What We Learned in the NFL's Regular Season: Bengals Should Give Core Another Shot

Joe Burrow didn’t find a way into the playoffs, but plenty occurred during an eventful final Sunday of the regular season. Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos made q

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What We Learned in the NFL's Regular Season: Bengals Should Give Core Another Shot​

Joe Burrow's sensational season might have gone to waste, but team brass should pay up to keep Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins around. Plus, a slew of offensive rookies shined, and star running backs reminded everyone they're still worth big money.

Joe Burrow didn’t find a way into the playoffs, but plenty occurred during an eventful final Sunday of the regular season.

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos made quick work of the Kansas City Chiefs’ backups to end the playoff hopes of the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins.

Surprisingly, not many teams followed the lead of the Los Angeles Rams, who favored rest over a higher playoff seed. Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers received the golden ticket—the right to face the vulnerable Houston Texans in the wild-card round as a fifth seed.

The Green Bay Packers nearly put Jordan Love back in Sunday’s game after he left with a seemingly minor injury to his throwing arm to avoid the seventh seed, but it wouldn’t have mattered because Marcus Mariota threw a game-winning pass to Terry McLaurin in Dallas for the Washington Commanders to claim the sixth seed.

The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers provided plenty of entertainment in the early window as Michael Penix Jr. and Baker Mayfield dueled in separate games with the NFC South crown on the line. Mayfield and the Buccaneers eventually woke up and defeated the New Orleans Saints to punch their playoff spot.

We learned plenty during NFL Week 18, but before we get to the postseason, let’s use this column to assess what we learned this regular season.
Bengals would be foolish to break up offensive trio

Team owner Mike Brown better open up the checkbook to keep Burrow’s top two wide receivers. Ja’Marr Chase had a historic season and Tee Higgins provided clutch performances to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive until the final day of the regular season.

Yes, Burrow is capable of making it work with most wide receivers and perhaps the Bengals (9–8) could benefit from spreading the salary cap around to other positions. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson don’t have wide receivers as good as Chase and Higgins and are heading into the postseason as leaders of the top three seeds in the AFC. But maintaining an elite offense with premier skill players could give the Bengals an advantage next year if they improve the defense.

Tying up most of the salary cap to three players on a team that has struggled to hit on its first-round draft picks the past few seasons doesn’t seem ideal. But maybe wasting a prime year of Burrow’s career will get everyone in the front office to step up and finally land talented defensive players. This trio is too good to break up over frugality and salary cap concerns. Cincinnati needs to find a way to make it work.

 

[BuckyKatt]

They were never going to fire Zac.

A. It's not the Bengal, way i.e. it's not the Brown family way.
B. His close association and personal relationship with Burrow means SoP is going to give him a lot of leash.
C. That trip to the Super Bowl means the club is going to overlook many of his coaching deficiencies.

This outcome today is probably the best we could have hoped for.

Now, strengthen the scouting dept. and maybe you've got the start of something...

 

[RB07OSU]

They were never going to fire Zac.

A. It's not the Bengal, way i.e. it's not the Brown family way.
B. His close association and personal relationship with Burrow means SoP is going to give him a lot of leash.
C. That trip to the Super Bowl means the club is going to overlook many of his coaching deficiencies.

This outcome today is probably the best we could have hoped for.

Now, strengthen the scouting dept. and maybe you've got the start of something...

Yeah the 5 game winning stretch kept his job, but he had to let heads roll like he did to keep his job. I don't like keeping Taylor one bit, but everyone who did actually lose their job deserved it.

Here's our real problem...we won out the rest of our schedule and screwed our draft position while still missing the playoffs. We need help in A LOT OF AREAS. The first couple of picks better be along the lines of DT, DE, DB, TE and another OT. If we can't get Higgins back, then WR becomes an immediate need. I don't think we have enough picks and FA capital to fix this team by next year.

 

[BuckyKatt]

You can't solve all the teams problems with one draft. Like it or not (and SoP won't), they're going to have to dip seriously into free agency.

They need immediate help at Guard. Finding an upgrade via FA shouldn't be too difficult or expensive. Plus, I'd rather have a veteran protecting Burrow than a rookie, even a high draft pick.

Also sign a veteran D-lineman (two would be better but I'm trying to be realistic here) and a veteran CB. Three free agents to start the rebuild.

Then concentrate on DE, DB and grab another Guard at some point. If Moss can't come back from his neck injury, another RB may be necessary also.

This is assuming we find a way to re-sign Higgins and Chase during the offseason.

They've got their work cut out for them...

 

[RB07OSU]

You can't solve all the teams problems with one draft. Like it or not (and SoP won't), they're going to have to dip seriously into free agency.

They need immediate help at Guard. Finding an upgrade via FA shouldn't be too difficult or expensive. Plus, I'd rather have a veteran protecting Burrow than a rookie, even a high draft pick.

Also sign a veteran D-lineman (two would be better but I'm trying to be realistic here) and a veteran CB. Three free agents to start the rebuild.

Then concentrate on DE, DB and grab another Guard at some point. If Moss can't come back from his neck injury, another RB may be necessary also.

This is assuming we find a way to re-sign Higgins and Chase during the offseason.

They've got their work cut out for them...

Problem is we will be so cheap in keeping players or acquiring them in FA. They will eff that up and I am confident in saying it. Cincy is not a destination team anymore (we had a brief window), we'll overpay for players that shit the bed like Stone.

I am in alignment with the draft strategy, but we'll probably screw the pooch on FA and the draft knowing this team. Here is my prediction:

- We lose Higgins squabbling over $5,000-$15,000.
- Burrow and Chase begrudgingly stay.
- We keep Brown at RB but don't find a quality RB in FA to replace Moss.
- We pick up a DE and DB in FA, both will be downgrades and we will still be horrible on defense absent a great draft, which is not happening.
- We go .500 again on the backs of Burrow and Chase, miss the playoffs, and get a shit draft position again because we cannot even be competent in losing games that would help us.
- We retain virtually all the staff in the hopes of continued mediocrity.

Anything sound amiss there?