3 bold predictions for the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2020 offense
Having three 1,000 yard players is extremely rare, as it’s only occurred twice in the past 20 years.
The 2004 Indianapolis Colts saw wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, along with running back Edgerrin James, each hit the millennium mark. It happened once more in 2008 with a trio of receivers for the Arizona Cardinals, most notably Larry Fitzgerald.
The 2020 Bengals being the next team to accomplish this feat? Hey, the title says bold predictions for a reason.
Cincinnati already wields two players that have reached 1,000 yards in both of the past two years, Joe Mixon and Tyler Boyd. That’s an incredible accomplishment, considering all of the things working against them.
The offensive line was (and still could be) a mess and the franchise as a whole has been going through significant difficulties. Not to mention, the duo even struggled through the Ryan Finley experiment for three games last season. Yet, they still overcame these obstacles.
Now, the prediction gets interesting when considering the concept of throwing a healthy A.J. Green back into the mix. In 2018, Green racked up 694 receiving yards, despite only competing in 9 games. Who knows what would have happened if he could’ve played in the final 7 contests.
You can’t overlook the fact that Green has gotten 1,000 yards in 6 of the 8 years he’s played either, giving the Bengals a path to accomplishing this feat.
There are several factors working against the team fielding a trio of 1,000-yard players, however.
First, there is no telling how quickly Burrow will become acquainted with the speed of the NFL. Second, all three of these players would need to remain healthy to reach such a lofty goal. Third, the coaching staff is relying on some major development from young guys along the offensive trenches. Fourth, guys like Tee Higgins or John Ross will likely take away opportunities from the other three mentioned, spreading the yardage out more evenly.
Still, when looking strictly through a talent lens at the Bengals’ top three weapons, it’s possible that fans see them each rack up 1,000 yards.