How The Bengals Can Extend Their Super Bowl Window
Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s no secret that the AFC is the league’s powerhouse conference. The Kansas City Chiefs have been the top dogs in the conference for the majority of Patrick Mahomes’ career. Other teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans are establishing themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders on a yearly basis.
With Joe Burrow at the helm, the Bengals will likely be one of the teams near the top of the AFC for, at the very least, as long as Burrow is among the NFL’s most elite quarterbacks. He has unwavering confidence in himself, and he believes in the Bengals’ ability to win a ring as long as he’s around.
“The (Super Bowl window is) my whole career,” Burrow told reporters in early 2023. “And everybody we have in that locker room, all the coaches we have, things are gonna change year to year, but our window is always open.”
With Burrow no longer on a rookie contract, the Bengals will have to figure out how to maneuver the rest of the payroll to remain competitive in a highly competitive AFC. How can they make sure that their Super Bowl window stays open for years to come?
Find A Bonafide Tee Higgins Replacement
As disheartening as it may be to hear, the writing appears to be on the wall: Tee Higgins will likely be on his way out of Cincinnati after the 2024 season. He has been unable to agree on a long-term deal to stay in Cincinnati, and worse, one probably doesn’t make sense for the Bengals. Higgins has been a massive part of the Bengals’ elite passing offense ever since he was drafted, and for Burrow to maintain the high-flying offense that they’ve had over the last several years, a cheap, apt replacement needs to be found.
When both Burrow and Higgins are healthy, Higgins is one of the most talented second wideouts in the NFL. He’s a big-bodied contested-catch weapon who can grab passes anywhere on the field and put up 100+ yard receiving games in any given week.
The question is, though: where do they find the replacement?
Assuming he departs for another team, Higgins’ physical frame and big body will be hard to replace. With the Bengals fortifying their trenches with Amarius Mims and Kris Jenkins, among others, they have some leeway to use a high draft pick on a receiver in 2025. Cincinnati’s high draft picks at receiver have been successful more often than they haven’t, so having a big-bodied receiver in the Higgins role on a rookie deal for the next four years will help his inevitable departure not sting as deeply.
Fully solidify the offensive line
Cincinnati slowly but surely improved Burrow’s protection since his early years as a Bengal, when the starting offensive line consisted of Jonah Williams and four mall cops. Since then, they’ve made critical signings with Orlando Brown, Ted Karras, and Alex Cappa. Most recently and arguably importantly, they used a first-round pick on Mims.
Now, all they have to do is continue building on their progress. Not only has Burrow suffered two season-ending injuries in his four years in the NFL, but he’s taken the second-most sacks of any quarterback since 2020 with 148 (only Russell Wilson has taken more).
With the Bengals set to invest around $300 million in Burrow for the rest of the decade, they must ensure that he remains upright. It’s the job of the offensive line to keep him healthy, while it’s the front office’s job to put the best possible protection pieces around him.
Find Consistent Tight End Production
Over the last few years, as passing continues to be at the forefront of the modern NFL philosophy, a bigger emphasis has been placed on the tight end position. With the exceptions of sporadically good seasons from Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert, the Bengals have had relatively underwhelming tight end play in recent memory.
Their current tight end room is as deep as it’s been since Burrow’s arrival. All of the Bengals’ tight ends (one of which is, coincidentally, named All) could emerge as the top option on the roster by year’s end. However, as the Bengals enter training camp, no tight end has solidified himself as the true No. 1 option.
We’re in a league where top tight ends like Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, and Mark Andrews are mismatch weapons for the NFL’s most elite teams. Having that difference-maker control the middle of the field is a bigger priority than ever. If Cincinnati can find someone who can do that, even if they’re not the playmakers those top guys are, it can add a new dimension to their passing game that can get them through playoff matchups.
The Bengals did invest two mid-round picks in tight ends (Erick All and Tanner McLachlan), and both of them are skilled enough as pass catchers to be that kind of consistent target. As it stands right now, Mike Gesicki is the current starter, and he will be entering his age-29 season in 2024. With Tanner Hudson entering his age-30 season and Drew Sample primarily limited to blocking roles, a path exists for one or both of the incoming rookies to establish themself as the longtime go-to receiving tight end in Dan Pitcher’s offense.
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