The 2023 season for the Bengals is not one that the fans nor the players will really want to remember. A sluggish 0-2 start to the season was a good representation of what the entire year would turn out to be. They were hot for a minute, then an injury to Burrow would knock him out for the rest of the season, eventually leading to the team finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. There were some positives like Jake Browning showing he is one of the top backups in the league, but overall, not a season to remember.
The offseason was good for the Bengals, as they picked up key pieces like tight end Mike Gesicki and safety Geno Stone. But it did not come without some major losses, such as Joe Mixon to the Texans and DJ Reader to the Lions. Right Tackle Amarius Mims was the 1st round pick for the Bengals, and he seems to be a future starter who will eventually take over for Trent Brown. However, the story of the draft might be that of seventh-round pick Matt Lee, who appears to be one of the potential stealers of the entire draft.
This is a big year for the team, and this coaching staff is trying to prove that the 2021 and 2022 seasons were not flukes. First and foremost, they need to figure out a contract for Jamarr Chase, but other problems need to be solved. Quarterback Joe Burrow needs to prove he can stay healthy, and the O-line needs to do their job in keeping him on his feet. Can the defense have a bounce-back year after a poor 2023 season? Young secondary and new faces on the D-line will have to answer that question, while a proven defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, will coach them. Come with me as we dive into this 2024 Bengals squad.
The 2024 Cincinnati Bengals
Coaching Staff and Front Office Personnel
- Head Coach: Zac Taylor (Sixth Year as Head Coach)
- Offensive Coordinator: Dan Pitcher (First year as Offensive Coordinator)
- Defensive Coordinator: Lou Anarumo (Sixth year as Defensive Coordinator)
- Special Teams Coordinator: Darrin Simmons (Eleventh year as Special Teams Coordinator)
- Notable Assistant Coaches: Justin Hill (Running Backs), Brad Kragthorpe (Quarterbacks), Frank Pollack (Offensive Line), James Bettcher (Linebackers), Marion Hobby (Defensive line), Jordan Kovacs (DBs)
Notable Additions -
Free agency: Zack Moss (RB, Colts), Mike Gesecki (TE, Patriots), Trent Brown (RT, Patriots), Geno Stone (Safety, Ravens), Sheldon Rankins (DT, Texans)
Draft: Amarius Mims (RT, Georgia), Matt Lee (Center, Miami), Kris Jenkins Jr. (DT, Michigan), Josh Newton (CB, TCU)
Notable Subtractions -
Free Agency: Joe Mixon (RB, Texans), DJ Reader (DT, Lions), Tyler Boyd (WR, Titans)
2023 Offensive Team Ranks
- 21.5 Points Per Game (16th)
- 340.2 Yards Per Game (23rd)
- 229.1 Pass Yards and 89.8 Rush Yards Per Game (16th and 32nd)
- 37.6% Conversion Rate on Third Down (19th)
- 59.6% Red Zone Conversion Rate (10th)
- 16 Turnovers (24th)
2023 Defensive Ranks
- 22.6 Points Allowed Per Game (22nd)
- 389.7 Yards Allowed Per Game (31st)
- 248.4 Pass Yards and 126.2 Rush Yards Allowed Per Game (28th and 26th)
- 40.8% Conversion Rate Allowed on Third Down (22nd)
- 59.3% Red Zone Conversion Rate Allowed (11th)
- 26 Takeaways (7th)
Joey B and the 3-headed monster
Joe Burrow returns missing one of his top three targets from the start of his career. Tyler Boyd left the Bengals in the offseason to join former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan on the Titans. While Boyd will be significantly missed, draft pick Jermaine Burton and second-year player Andrei Iosivas hope to fill that void. Burton has had a great camp, and reporters have nothing but great things to say about him. Iosivas had a solid rookie campaign and hopes to keep building his relationship with Burrow.
Tee Higgins will be back after lots of drama in the offseason. He requested a trade and is now looking to get a long-term contract, which the Bengals did not seem prepared to dish out. The Bengals hit Higgins with the Franchise Tag, which led to his request for a trade. After numerous rumors and hypothetical trades, Higgins will return to the team for at least one more year. It will be interesting to see if the two camps can work out a contract extension next season.
Ja'Marr Chase, on the other hand, has not practiced at all in the last month. He still seeks a contract extension despite having two years left on his rookie contract. The Bengals need to get a deal done because it seems unlikely that Chase will play Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Mike Brown needs to cough up some money and get this deal done because Chase is way too vital to this team's success.
Down a DJ
DJ Reader was one of, if not the best, players on the Bengals' defense for the last three seasons. Reader was a monster in the run game at DT and made a name for himself in the passing game with three sacks and numerous batted balls in the past three years. The Bengals picked up Sheldon Rankins from the Texans in free agency and drafted Kris Jenkins Jr. off of the national Champion Michigan squad.
Rankins and Jenkins will have massive shoes to fill subbing in for Reader. The Bengals rush defense was rated 26th in the league last year, even with DJ Reader leading the D-line. The Bengals have no talent shortage on the outside, with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard dominating their respective positions. Still, if Rankins and Jenkins can't help stop the run up the gut, the Bengals rush defense is in for another long season.
Lightning and Thunder
The Bengals will also be without Joe Mixon this year after his seven respectable years on the squad. Mixon was a vital part of this team's run game and a huge locker-room presence. Mixon left the team in free agency to join the Texans, and the Bengals will now have Zack Moss from the Colts and second-year player Chase Brown leading the way in the backfield.
Brown and Moss have the potential to be one of the best 1-2 punches at running back in the entire league. Their mix of size and speed could become a real problem for defenses, especially in the passing game. Anyone who has watched Burrow play for the past three years knows he's not afraid to dump the ball down to his running back in the passing game. Brown proved himself last year as a great pass-catching back but did not see a ton of snaps due to the presence of Joe Mixon. With Mixon gone, look for Chase Brown to have a massive year in the air.
Moss, on the other hand, is a great downfield runner. He is not afraid of contact and has a remarkable ability to run in the middle. Moss had a solid 2023 season with 794 yards and five touchdowns while splitting snaps with Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. Moss has the potential to have a great season running the ball and will be a critical factor in the Bengals' red zone offense.
Literal Massive Upgrades
The Bengals' offensive line has been a weak point on the team since Burrow's first year in the league. This year could be different, with some massive (literally massive) upgrades at the tackle positions. The Bengals tackles this year will consist of Orlando Brown Jr at left tackle, with Trent Brown and Amarius Mims most likely both getting a lot of snaps at right tackle. Orlando Brown weighs in at 340 pounds, Trent Brown weighs in at 355 pounds, and Mims weighs in at 340 pounds. So when I say massive, I mean it to the full truth of the word.
Orlando Brown was on the team last year after signing with the Bengals in free agency in 2023 after leaving the Chiefs. Brown is one of the premier left tackles in the entire league, only allowing 2 sacks in the 2023 season. Brown looks to continue his dominance on the left side of the line with his left guard partner Cordell Volson. Volson has improved yearly after being a raw prospect coming out of North Dakota State.
Mims and Trent Brown will likely see a good amount of playtime this season. Zac Taylor announced today that Trent Brown will be getting the start in Week 1 against the Patriots, but that could be due to Mims dealing with an injury in camp. Mims did practice today, so there is a good chance we could see him in week one. Mims is a raw prospect out of Georgia but has proven to be worthy of his first-round pick status as he has been having a solid camp. Both guys will have Alex Cappa as their running mate at right guard, and Cappa has proven to be an excellent guard in his time.
Vonn and Mike (And the Fun Young Guys!)
The Bengals' secondary will be the biggest question mark on the defense this season. Vonn Bell will return this season after leaving the Bengals for one year to join the Panthers. Bell is a veteran safety and one of the hardest-hitting players in the league. On the other hand, Mike Hilton is also a veteran and one of the best slot corners in the entire league. This will be his fourth season on the team, and he looks to continue his dominance, shutting down the middle of the field.
Outside of Bell and Hilton, the Bengals secondary is very young and lacks experience. The rest of the secondary consists of Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, DJ Turner, and Josh Newton at corner, and Jordan Battle back at safety. Taylor-Britt has the most experience of all those guys and has proven to be one of the best young corners in the league. He made a name for himself last year, shutting down DK Metcalf in a game against the Seahawks, where the Bengals came out on top. Dax Hill also has some experience, but he switched from safety to corner this offseason with the return of Vonn Bell. Hill is a great young player who made multiple impressive plays last year, but seeing his skillset being used as a corner instead of safety will be interesting.
Turner, Newton, and Battle are all in the same boat experience-wise. Battle would have the most experience in this group, starting in 7 games and racking up 43 tackles. Turner will see a lot more playtime this year being the CB3 and will look to make a name for himself. Newton is a rookie out of TCU who looked solid in the preseason, but Definity showed he has a lot to learn. He made some great plays against the Bears, but going up against only starters will be challenging.
The Bottom Line
This year's Bengals team has the potential to be a Super Bowl-caliber team, but it also has a very low floor with all of the inexperience. Burrow has proven he can take a team to the Super Bowl, but the supporting cast around him will need to be great. The Bengals will be playing a last-place schedule after finishing fourth in the North last year. With a favorable schedule and a great team on paper, only time will tell what this team can do.
Defined Bengals Strengths
- Joe Burrow
- Might Have the Best Wide Receiver Room in the NFL
- Elite Linebackers
- Proven Defensive Coordinator
- Favorable Schedule
Weaknesses:
- Joe Burrow's Health
- Can they Replace DJ Reader?
- Young Inexperienced Secondary
- Boom or Bust RB Room
- Can the O-line Hold Up?
Bengals Seasonal Outlook
Record Ceiling: 14-3
Record Floor: 6-11
AFC North Finishing Position Prediction: 1st
Team MVP: Joe Burrow
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