The Bengals surprised everyone with their Super Bowl run last season. Joe Burrow immediately put himself in the conversation as one of the game’s best quarterbacks in his first full NFL season. After a 10-7 finish in the regular season, they knocked out the Raiders, Titans, and Chiefs to improbably win the AFC Championship. Though they eventually fell at the final hurdle, this is a team that has transformed from a bottom feeder to a contender in the space of a year.
Offseason additions and losses
Super Bowl LVI illustrated the Bengals’ need to invest in their offense line. They wasted time in doing so this offseason, bringing in a host of upgrades. Alex Cappa will come in and start at right guard, with Ted Karras brought in to play center. Perhaps the most interesting move was adding La’el Collins at right tackle on a three-year, $20.5 million deal. If he can stay healthy that should be a great value move. Outside of the offensive line, the Bengals also brought in Hayden Hurst to replace C.J. Uzomah as their starting tight end on a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
In addition to the new faces, the Bengals were also successful in re-signing some key contributors. B.J. Hill was the marquee move, inking a three-year $30m deal to stay in Cincinnati. The team has also moved to retain their secondary talent, bringing Eli Apple back on a one-year, $3.75m deal and franchise tagging Jessie Bates.
2022 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 1.31 | Daxton Hill – S, Michigan |
| 2.60 | Cam Taylor-Britt – CB, Nebraska |
| 3.95 | Zachary Carter – IDL, Florida |
| 4.136 | Cordell Volson – OT, North Dakota State |
| 5.166 | Tycen Anderson – S, Toledo |
| 7.252 | Jeffrey Gunter – EDGE, Coastal Carolina |
With the offensive line issues remedied in free agency, the Bengals focused on bolstering their defense through the draft. Versatility seems to have been the name of the game with this draft class. In Daxton Hill they landed a true safety/cornerback hybrid, with the athletic ability and quick twitch to play across the secondary. Taylor-Britt is primarily a boundary corner, but also has the skillset to move around the defense as required. At 6’4″ and 282 lbs, Zachary Carter also offers some versatility, having lined up across the defensive line for Florida.
Offense
With Joe Burrow at quarterback and the best wide receiver trio in the NFL at your disposal, there are obvious reasons for optimism with this offense. Add to that one of the league’s most effective running backs in Joe Mixon and you’ve got the recipe for offensive fireworks. Once things finally clicked down the stretch the Bengals dispatched their opponents with ruthless efficiency. From Week 14 they ranked third in EPA per play, behind only the Chiefs and Packers.
The Bengals’ passing attack under Brian Callahan isn’t exactly the most nuanced or complicated scheme in the NFL, but so far it hasn’t needed to be. Their receivers are simply too talented for most teams to cover, and defenses can’t allocate extra resources to Ja’Marr Chase without inviting a big game from Tee Higgins. Burrow is also one of the smartest decision makers in football, ranking third in big-time throw rate whilst having the fifth lowest turnover-worthy play rate in 2021.
The one lingering question was their offensive line. Burrow was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL in 2021, and in the end it was this that saw them fall short in the Super Bowl. Their offseason moves were clearly made with that in mind. Only time will tell whether this is enough to fix the problem, but the addition of three veterans is a smart piece of business from the front office. Bengals fans will be hoping this will be enough to keep Burrow upright long enough to keep on making special plays downfield.
Defense
The Bengals’ defense was quietly impressive last season. They ranked seventh in both points allowed per drive and drive success rate. Their secondary in particular deserves plenty of attention ahead of next season. There are question marks as to whether Jessie Bates will play in 2022, but when he is on the field the Bengals have one of the league’s better safety tandems in him and Vonn Bell.
Their cornerback room is also legitimately impressive. Despite the absence of a star name they have been very effective. Chidobe Awuzie looked like one of the very best cornerbacks in football last season, allowing a passer rating of just 74.8 on 93 targets. The additions of Daxton Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt in the draft are both sure to help. Both players offer cornerback/safety versatility, which will allow Lou Anarumo to get creative with his coverage shells.
The only real question mark here is their pass rush. The Bengals admittedly struck gold with the signing of Trey Hendrickson last offseason. He led the team with 75 pressures in 2021, which put him fourth across the entire NFL. The question is whether there is the depth behind him to consistently get to opposing quarterbacks. As things stand, that depth consists of Sam Hubbard and second-year players Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample. This isn’t a blitz-heavy defense, so they will need those players to step up if they are to consistently create pressure with their front four in 2022.
Prediction
The fairytale 2021 season has seemingly transformed everyone’s perception of this Bengals team. Whilst it would be unfair to expect a repeat performance in a gruelling division and conference in 2022, they should still be amongst the best teams in the AFC. Their passing attack remains potent, and if their new offensive line gels they could make another good postseason run.
