As optimism soars, patience is key for Cincinnati Bengals

After an eventful offseason, fans of the Cincinnati Bengals should be optimistic but also patient as the team builds their foundation.

It’s been a long time since the hype in Cincinnati has been this strong when it comes to the Bengals. After the offseason, it’s easy to see why this is so.

The Brown family went on the biggest spending spree in team history throughout free-agency. On top of that, the Bengals drafted a quarterback coming off the greatest season in college football history, who also happens to be a local hero.

It would seem the stars are finally aligning in the Queen City. However, even though the Bengals are certainly trending upward, it doesn’t guarantee that it’s time to bring a Lombardi trophy to Cincinnati, at least not yet.

Can the Bengals win? Absolutely. Can they win a Super Bowl? Of course. After all, it’s the NFL and this league is the most unpredictable entity in sports.

However, if the Bengals do not make a deep playoff run or even a playoff appearance, it shouldn’t be considered a failure. This team is heading in the right direction regardless of how many wins it leads to in 2020.

Keep in mind the roster is better but also very new. The defense received a complete makeover this off-season. Joe Burrow is the best quarterback prospect to come along in years, but he is also a rookie. With the weight of being the local hero expected to take the Bengals to glory, it’s a lot of pressure.

Although improved, the offensive line may not be a finished product. On top of this, the NFL is in the midst of an unprecedented off-season where workouts and team drills will be much more limited than seasons before. As fans, we must take these things into account entering the season.

Now, this article isn’t meant to rain on the orange and black parade. After all, hardly anyone expected the 2011 Bengals to win any games at all.  Yet they were led by a second-round rookie quarterback along with a bunch of cast-offs to a 9 win season and a wild-card birth.

However, there are still question marks, whether it be holes in the o-line, very young linebackers, or a rookie quarterback. We also don’t know how injuries will play out this year. If adversity keeps the Bengals out of the playoffs, it doesn’t mean that this season was a failure.

The point is, there may have never been a better time to be a Bengals fan than right now. The excitement is real and it is justified. Just keep in mind, whether they win 6 games or 10, this franchise is heading in the right direction.