An injury to Cincinnati Bengals superstar quarterback Joe Burrow derailed their entire 2023 season. With Burrow back healthy, the Bengals have sizable expectations in 2024. The goal is to reach Super Bowl LIX.
Burrow suffered a right calf strain injury during last year's training camp. It didn't sideline Burrow into the early portion of the regular season, but his abilities were clearly limited. The Bengals struggled, beginning the campaign at a lackluster 5-4, and that included a four-game winning streak to crawl themselves out of a 1-3 hole.
Disaster struck again shortly after their streak of victories ended. Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11. The Bengals were officially eliminated from postseason contention following a Week 17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. They finished the season 9-8, a respectable record given the challenges presented, but it obviously fell well short of their expectations heading into the campaign.
The Bengals have been attempting to get back to the Super Bowl since achieving that goal during the 2021 campaign. They nearly made consecutive appearances but lost the AFC Championship Game the next year. The Bengals qualify as legitimate Lombardi Trophy contenders heading into 2024.
The Bengals have been forced to reload their roster this offseason. Key offensive starters such as Joe Mixon, Tyler Boyd, and Jonah Williams are no longer present. They've been replaced with appropriate solutions such as Zack Moss and Trent Brown. The Bengals also utilized their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on former Georgia tackle Amarius Mims. Mims is capable of pushing Brown at right tackle for a starting gig.
Joe Burrow on Amarius Mims👀 https://t.co/PtrqvYvvYV pic.twitter.com/wPbZPc3qv3
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) August 4, 2024
Arguably, the most important development on offense was their ability to retain Tee Higgins at receiver. Higgins requested a trade after Cincinnati slapped him with the franchise tag amidst long-term contract discussions going nowhere. He ultimately signed the tag and returns for what's likely one final season in Cincinnati alongside Ja'Marr Chase as one of the league's best receiving duos.
Mike Gesicki is the new pass-catching tight end after the offense received little production from Irv Smith Jr. in that role last season. Young receivers like Andrei Iosivas and Jermaine Burton are also slated to contribute behind Chase and Higgins.
Jermaine Burton body control TD. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/l7TuYT0HAy
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) July 30, 2024
Notable defensive departures include cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and defensive tackle DJ Reader. A position battle between DJ Turner and Dax Hill is being held to determine who will replace Awuzie opposite Cam Taylor-Britt at boundary corner. Sheldon Rankins, Geno Stone, and Vonn Bell arrive as veteran reinforcements. Defensive tackles Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson, and defensive backs Josh Newton and Daijahn Anthony may contribute as rookies.
The salary cap has forced the Bengals to get younger and cheaper at crucial positions. Burrow's $275 million extension had a massive impact on their roster construction, and the front office is already considering what Chase's extension will cost them (north of $30 million annually, surely). Cincinnati has done a great job adding affordable contributors this offseason on both offense and defense.
The Bengals enter the 2024 campaign as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Cincinnati will go as far as Burrow takes them. Winning Super Bowl LIX is a realistic goal.
