The Cincinnati Bengals can make a huge splash before Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season. They have the first overall pick, options with that pick, and generational type talent available to them. From Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, or a defensive cornerstone like Chase Young, football in the Queen City can go from 2-14 to anything and everything better.
The Bengals would make a quantum leap forward by not just being bold, but making an investment in their future by examining and considering every opportunity the first overall pick provides. Maybe it’s keeping the first pick and taking Burrow. Maybe it’s trading with Miami and getting three picks in the first round. Most simply said, Cincinnati can change the trajectory and the perception of the organization by keeping everything on the table.
If Burrow wants to go to an organization committed to winning, then the Bengals have some work to do. Fans and local compliant media should feel the same way. It’s up to the hierarchy in Cincinnati to change how they do business or be willing to listen and explain why the organization just isn’t ready for prime time.
The Bengals have the opportunity of a lifetime to rewrite what many write about them now. They can erase a lot of the perceived dysfunction by changing how they do business and making decisions that point to progress versus stagnation. It’s on the organization, not the media, to change that narrative.