The Cincinnati Bengals were one of six teams that made The Ringer’s list of teams that are winning the offseason so far.
Steven Ruiz wrote that even though the Bengals still have to worry about contract extensions for franchise cornerstones, the signings that they have made have been enough to make them winners.
Here’s some of what Ruiz said about Cincinnati’s offseason:
So why are they on this list? Well, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo didn’t leave for a head-coaching gig, and Higgins is still on the roster. That’s enough for this to be considered a successful offseason for Cincinnati. But the Bengals did more than just keep their core together. The Brown signing was questionable at first glance, but the four-year, $64.1 million deal is really just a two-year, $42 million commitment. That’s not a bad price for a good offensive tackle. Brown has had his problems in pass protection—especially against athletic edge rushers—but he’s more than serviceable, and his run-blocking makes up for other deficiencies. Irv Smith Jr. was a cheap replacement for Hurst and should provide a higher ceiling given his age and athleticism.
The fact that the Bengals also own all of their draft picks was a great sign for what they still can do later in April when that time comes.
Ruiz does make a good point in saying that their main source of talent is going to be coming from the draft in the foreseeable future, so don’t be surprised if Jonah Williams, who has requested to be traded, gets sent away for some draft picks.
