The once perennial one-and-doners have fallen on hard times the last two years as poor drafting and talent exodus caught up to them in a big way. Nonetheless, that didn't stop them from bringing Marvin Lewis back for a 16th season and almost assuredly a 17th as it was a two-year deal. The odds were probably against them finding a better coach given who they are, but it was worth a shot as the status quo is pretty established at this point.
After letting longtime stalwart LT Andrew Whitworth walk last year, the Bengals gambled on their first two picks from 2015, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, at tackle. That failed miserably as Ogbuehi was unable to handle the left side after flopping on the right the year before and Fisher struggled before a heart condition ended his season halfway through. When you have a QB that struggles abnormally with pressure, this is a problem especially with a perennial liability at C in Russell Bodine and a rotating cast at RG. Bodine is up for free agency and Lewis has openly talked about wanting him back (and they wonder why they never win), so I'm sure they'll bring him back a couple weeks into free agency after his market proves empty. I guess there's some hope that new OL coach Frank Pollack (the Bengals swapped line coaches with the Cowboys as longtime coach Paul Alexander was let go) can get more out of these guys, but I'm not buying any green bananas. They'll certainly be in the market for a LT, although I'm not sure any of the three main guys in this draft will be worth it at 12.
Top-10 pick John Ross had a nightmare rookie year, not catching a pass and fumbling on his only touch while alternating between being hurt and in Lewis' doghouse. The recent history of first-round receivers with lost rookie years is really bad as Santana Moss is the only one that went on to have a good career. The two are built pretty similarly, so I guess there's something to hang your hat on but he'll certainly have to buck a trend. I'd still rather take a chance on that happening than bring back Brandon LaFell, who is 31, brings nothing to this offense and can easily be cut. I hope they try to bring back Tyler Eifert as although he's obviously a huge health risk, he completely changes this offense when he is healthy.
Joe Mixon's efficiency (3.5 YPC) wasn't very good, but he was running behind a line that couldn't open up any holes and he did very good work (20/287 with 9.5 YPC and an 88% catch rate) in the passing game while Gio Bernard is an excellent change-of-pace back. Hopefully with Bill Lazor now permanently the OC with an offseason to plan and some upgrades on the line, the offense will get back to being a respectable unit. The talent is certainly there in the skill positions between Mixon and A.J. Green with the possibility of Ross and hopefully Eifert joining them.
On the other side of the ball, DC Paul Guenther took his talents to Oakland as the Bengals will have a new philosophy (Guenther was a Mike Zimmer disciple) for the first time in nine years. They brought in Teryl Austin from Detroit, whose 2014 Lions' defense was excellent which is the last time he had comparable talent to work with. After missing his rookie year, 2016 first-round CB William Jackson III ascended to an already elite level as teams didn't even bother testing him down the stretch after figuring out they couldn't complete passes in his direction. Between his and 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard's emergence in the slot, they declined Adam Jones' option although they could still bring him back.
Hopefully this will be the year Vontaze Burfict avoids a suspension as they're a very good unit with him on the field. Young linebackers Nick Vigil and Jordan Evans flashed but also dealt with inconsistency and I could definitely see them taking Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds if they're still there at 12. Up front, they've openly talked about extending Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. I'm generally not a fan of big third contracts as they'll be 30 and 31 respectively when those kick in, but they're both still playing at a high level and Atkins is a HOF-caliber talent. Hopefully sophomore Carl Lawson (8.5 sacks) gets more of an every-down role as incumbent RE Michael Johnson is 31 with a ton of mileage. The signing of Chris Baker should upgrade the interior pressure next to Atkins as he tallied 9.5 sacks in 2015-16 with Washington before flopping after signing a big deal with Tampa Bay. The hope is that he's on a one-year deal while then-DC Jim Haslett and DL coach Jacob Burney in Washington are with the Bengals now.
I have hope they can contend again this year with some luck and upgrades, although I'll believe it when I see it. Andy Dalton will also be under fire, as QBs usually don't get three sub-par years in a row and they can easily get out of his contract after this year.
After letting longtime stalwart LT Andrew Whitworth walk last year, the Bengals gambled on their first two picks from 2015, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, at tackle. That failed miserably as Ogbuehi was unable to handle the left side after flopping on the right the year before and Fisher struggled before a heart condition ended his season halfway through. When you have a QB that struggles abnormally with pressure, this is a problem especially with a perennial liability at C in Russell Bodine and a rotating cast at RG. Bodine is up for free agency and Lewis has openly talked about wanting him back (and they wonder why they never win), so I'm sure they'll bring him back a couple weeks into free agency after his market proves empty. I guess there's some hope that new OL coach Frank Pollack (the Bengals swapped line coaches with the Cowboys as longtime coach Paul Alexander was let go) can get more out of these guys, but I'm not buying any green bananas. They'll certainly be in the market for a LT, although I'm not sure any of the three main guys in this draft will be worth it at 12.
Top-10 pick John Ross had a nightmare rookie year, not catching a pass and fumbling on his only touch while alternating between being hurt and in Lewis' doghouse. The recent history of first-round receivers with lost rookie years is really bad as Santana Moss is the only one that went on to have a good career. The two are built pretty similarly, so I guess there's something to hang your hat on but he'll certainly have to buck a trend. I'd still rather take a chance on that happening than bring back Brandon LaFell, who is 31, brings nothing to this offense and can easily be cut. I hope they try to bring back Tyler Eifert as although he's obviously a huge health risk, he completely changes this offense when he is healthy.
Joe Mixon's efficiency (3.5 YPC) wasn't very good, but he was running behind a line that couldn't open up any holes and he did very good work (20/287 with 9.5 YPC and an 88% catch rate) in the passing game while Gio Bernard is an excellent change-of-pace back. Hopefully with Bill Lazor now permanently the OC with an offseason to plan and some upgrades on the line, the offense will get back to being a respectable unit. The talent is certainly there in the skill positions between Mixon and A.J. Green with the possibility of Ross and hopefully Eifert joining them.
On the other side of the ball, DC Paul Guenther took his talents to Oakland as the Bengals will have a new philosophy (Guenther was a Mike Zimmer disciple) for the first time in nine years. They brought in Teryl Austin from Detroit, whose 2014 Lions' defense was excellent which is the last time he had comparable talent to work with. After missing his rookie year, 2016 first-round CB William Jackson III ascended to an already elite level as teams didn't even bother testing him down the stretch after figuring out they couldn't complete passes in his direction. Between his and 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard's emergence in the slot, they declined Adam Jones' option although they could still bring him back.
Hopefully this will be the year Vontaze Burfict avoids a suspension as they're a very good unit with him on the field. Young linebackers Nick Vigil and Jordan Evans flashed but also dealt with inconsistency and I could definitely see them taking Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds if they're still there at 12. Up front, they've openly talked about extending Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. I'm generally not a fan of big third contracts as they'll be 30 and 31 respectively when those kick in, but they're both still playing at a high level and Atkins is a HOF-caliber talent. Hopefully sophomore Carl Lawson (8.5 sacks) gets more of an every-down role as incumbent RE Michael Johnson is 31 with a ton of mileage. The signing of Chris Baker should upgrade the interior pressure next to Atkins as he tallied 9.5 sacks in 2015-16 with Washington before flopping after signing a big deal with Tampa Bay. The hope is that he's on a one-year deal while then-DC Jim Haslett and DL coach Jacob Burney in Washington are with the Bengals now.
I have hope they can contend again this year with some luck and upgrades, although I'll believe it when I see it. Andy Dalton will also be under fire, as QBs usually don't get three sub-par years in a row and they can easily get out of his contract after this year.