The Cincinnati Bengals were one of the top four teams in the NFL this year just a season removed from making the Super Bowl, so it’s only natural to think they land in the top four or five spots in post-Super Bowl rankings.
Where to actually put the Bengals is a tough sell though. For some, they must land behind the Super Bowl teams Kansas City and Philadelphia.
But that’s not the case in the latest rankings from USA Today’s Nate Davis:
2. Bengals (1): Yeah, sorry (not sorry?), Philly fans, but these guys also lost their final game to Kansas City by three points and are only a year removed from showing they can also almost win a Super Bowl. Cincinnati has several free agents in its secondary, but also a lot of cap room to backfill and upgrade.
We’re in “can’t go wrong” territory when it comes to power rankings right after the season. But it’s a valid point to highlight that the Bengals will retain Lou Anarumo and all of their key coaches, while the third-ranked Eagles here lost both coordinators right after playing in the big game.
More concerning for the Bengals is what to do with all that cap space — besides the urgency to get a Joe Burrow extension done. Major free agents include Jessie Bates, Germaine Pratt, Vonn Bell and Hayden Hurst, just to name a few.
How the team navigates the choppy waters will determine if they can hold this spot all offseason.
