The Cincinnati Bengals will kick off their 2024 preseason at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, August 10th, at 7 p.m. This will be the first time we will see Joe Burrow back in action after his season-ending injury against the Ravens last year. Along with Burrow, we will see the entire starting offense for at least one drive, and within that offense, a couple of questions still need to be answered.
The Battle for WR3
The Bengals find themselves in a situation that they haven’t had to think about since the 2020 season: who will be their WR3? Tyler Boyd had filled that role for the past three seasons while being one of the most consistent players on the team. He signed with the Titans in free, leaving a gap in the Bengals' offense. But there is no shortage of options for head coach Zac Taylor and co to choose from. The Bengals released their depth chart on Monday, which had Trenton Irwin listed as the WR3, but as we know, these original depth charts are always subject to change. Irwin has been a solid player for the Bengals, racking up 40 catches for 547 yards and five touchdowns over the past two seasons.
Along with Irwin, two other strong candidates are in the running: second-year player Andrei Iosivas and Rookie Jermaine Burton. Iosivas has a strong camp and a great relationship with Joe Burrow. Burton has also been making plays in camp, as he has proven to be a deep threat that the Bengals lacked last season. According to the depth chart, it seems that Irwin will be getting the start against the Buccaneers, but there will be plenty of chances for Iosivas and Burton to steal that spot.
New Faces at Tight End and the Offensive Line
The Bengals' offensive line has been the worst part of the team for the better part of four seasons. They could have been Super Bowl champions in 2021 if not for a terrible O-line, but this upcoming season is the strongest the O-line has looked. Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr is returning, along with Left guard Cordell Volson, center Ted Karras, and right guard Alex Cappa. Right tackle is the only spot that is up for grabs now, as new signee Trent Brown and rookie Amarius Mims will battle for it. Brown has missed a lot of camp dealing with injuries, though he was activated on Monday, and that has allowed Mims to shine.
Brown was listed as the starter on the depth chart, but the Bengals will have to wait and see what he looks like coming off an injury. Mims was the Bengals 1st round pick this year, and he is a 6’7, 340-pound monster who they would love to see become a star. This is the first time in a while that the Bengals actually have a good problem on the line, with two great players fighting for one spot.
Tight end is another position on offense where the Bengals are loaded. New signee Mike Gesecki might be the best tight end that Burrow has had in his career, along with Tanner Hudson, Drew Sample, and rookie Erick All Jr. Tanner Hudson had a bit of a breakout last season, with 39 catches for 352 yards, proving to be a reliable target in the passing game. Sample is the longest-tenured Bengal of all the tight ends. He has always been a great pass-blocking player who can make catches when needed.
Erick All Jr is a rookie out of Iowa who was just activated after suffering a torn ACL his senior year. All Jr can potentially be a star for the Bengals someday, but he will be buried in the depth chart this year. Gesecki, on the other hand, should make an immediate impact on the Bengals' offense. Gesecki was a reliable target for Tua and the Dolphins until 2023 when he signed with the Patriots and had the worst season of his career in a terrible offense. Being paired with Burrow and having a lot of other weapons around him, we should see a considerable boost in production out of him.
Life Without Mixon
Joe Mixon was a massive part of the Bengals' recent success. He was a fan favorite who was there for all their ups and downs since 2017. But Mixon headed off to the Houston Texans in free agency this year, which left a big hole in the offense. The Bengals went out in free agency and signed ex-Colts running back Zack Moss. Moss had a solid 2023 season where he started eight games and picked 794 yards and five touchdowns. The Bengals also have a second-year player in Chase Brown, who has proven he can be very explosive in the passing and running game. Fans might remember Brown from last year, with his most memorable play being a 54-yard touchdown catch off of a screen against the Colts last season. Moss and Brown have the potential to be a very successful tandem in the backfield, with their mix of power and speed being tough for a defense to prepare for.
Hopefully, many of these questions on offense will be answered against the Buccaneers, and we can get some clarity on what we will see out of the Bengals in Week 1 of the regular season. It is always nice to have too many good players at a particular position instead of the opposite, where a team would not feel confident starting any of the guys they have. That seems to be the case for the Bengals this year, but we won’t know until we see them on the field.
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