The Cincinnati Bengals are coming into the 2023 season as back-to-back winners of the AFC North, and are currently favorites to win it for the third straight year.
Randy Mueller of The Athletic wrote what he thought the biggest concerns would be this season for each team in the AFC North, and he doesn’t believe the Bengals have too much to worry about.
Here’s some of what he said about Cincinnati:
Per usual, Cincy had minimal volume roster change. The Bengals stick to their initial evaluations and marry themselves to their draft picks. They did allow defensive back Jessie Bates III to leave via free agency, with which I have zero issue. Duke Tobin, Cincinnati’s director of player personnel, and his staff have done an excellent job of creating options from within and avoiding overpaying at the non-premium positions.
Mueller thinks one of the Bengals’ biggest concerns right now should be off the field by getting Joe Burrow a contract extension so he stays with Cincinnati for as long as possible. If they can get that done, he believes the Bengals Super Bowl window could last as long as Burrow is there.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mueller said Lou Anarumo can “do more with less” than any team in the league.
Without any games played yet, Mueller seems to believe the AFC North is the Bengals’ division to lose.
