The Cincinnati Bengals made a last ditch effort at making the playoffs but came up short. Despite league-leading performances from players on both sides of the ball, they suffered too many early-season losses. They head into the offseason wondering what could have been. The good news is they have an MVP quarterback in Joe Burrow and a top-five receiver in Ja’Marr Chase. As they head into the offseason, here are three questions for the Bengals.
1. Do They Re-Sign Tee Higgins?
This was the storyline of last offseason, but the team decided to franchise tag him instead. Usually, when this happens, the player has one more year before leaving. It doesn’t help that Chase is also due for an extension. The Cincinnati Bengals have a unique ownership structure which historically has led to not being able to pay many players. However, teammates have been vocal about wanting to keep Higgins on the roster. Over the past five seasons, he has 330 receptions, 4,595 yards, and 34 touchdowns. The offense runs better when he is on the field. He can take over a game like he did in Week 17.
They should look to keep him. There’s a simple rule in sports. Pay good players. If the Bengals don’t re-sign him, the rational is they can use that money to find other players. However, you know Higgins is good. An offensive trio of those two players will win you a lot of games. The other players you sign with that money might be good. It’s the mystery box bit from Family Guy. Do you want Tee Higgins or the mystery box? The mystery box could be anything! It could be Tee Higgins! Take the known player and get savvy on the fringes and in the draft.
2. How Do The Cincinnati Bengals Fix The Defense?
The stats are not great. Up and down the board, the Bengals were one of the worst teams on defense in the NFL. Three years ago, Lou Anarumo was praised as the reason the team could compete with the Chiefs. Now, he doesn’t have a job. Things change fast in the NFL, but this year’s group was abhorrent. These rankings are not what you want out of a team looking to contend for a Super Bowl.
- Opponent points per game: 25th (25.5)
- Opponent touchdowns per game: 28th (3.1)
- Opponent red zone touchdown percentage: 30th (67.92%)
What is crazy about these rankings is Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks! I expect a heavy investment into the defensive side of the ball in the draft, though they have to make sure they hit, unlike in past years. It isn’t just in the draft. The defensive coaching staff will get an overhaul and possibly even a new scheme. There are potential free agents as well though they will have to be ones they can get cheap. The hardest thing to do in sports is find a quarterback. The Cincinnati Bengals have one. They have to have at least a middle-of-the-road defense to not waste Burrow’s prime years.
3. How Hot Is The Seat For Zac Taylor?
In the last quarter of the season, many were wondering whether the Cincinnati Bengals would get rid of Zac Taylor. However, the team fought until the last week and played hard down the stretch. Had the team collapsed, it may have been a conversation, but when a team continues to fight, it means they still respect the coach. I’m not convinced the seat is all that warm. Marvin Lewis was the head coach of the Bengals for years and he never won a playoff game. Taylor got this team to a Super Bowl.
Furthermore, who would you go get? I suppose Ben Johnson would have been interesting, but there is no guarantee he would have been any better than what they already have. Unless something drastic happens, Taylor will be the head coach next year, and he probably should be. While some things need to change, you don’t want to mess up what you already do at an elite level. With that said, if the Cincinnati Bengals struggle again next year, calls for his job could get a little louder.
Final Thoughts
It’s a game of inches. The Cincinnati Bengals could easily be in the playoffs if not for three to four plays. While it hurts this year, there will likely be some positive regression next season. Unlike many teams who missed the playoffs this year, the Bengals have elite pieces all over the roster. If they can improve in certain areas, there is no reason they cannot be back in the postseason next year.
