Al Golden is excited to be back in the NFL, and in Cincinnati, but there will be no honeymoon period, as the Bengals' new defensive coordinator plans to hit the ground running in his new role.
"If you want to play fast during the season, you've got to push yourself through the offseason. The OTAs, the minicamps are going to be critical," Golden said. "I'm a big believer in not walking in on Tuesday and creating something. But rather drawing from the reservoir."
Golden has a whole lot of work ahead of him, and he's obviously aware of that fact. Cincinnati's defense was poor last season, and the unit held the team back from reaching its full potential, or qualifying for postseason play.
That's why Lou Anarumo was let go after six seasons, and why Golden was brought it. The Bengals are firmly in win-now mode with quarterback Joe Burrow and the offense operating at an elite level, so the pressure will be on for Golden immediately. Zac Taylor, too, since he handpicked Golden.
Al Golden plans to bring the 'BEST' out of Cincinnati's defense
So, what specifically will Golden do to upgrade Cincinnati's defense? Allow him to explain with an acronym.
"It all starts with the acronym BEST, right?" Golden said, via the Bengals. "Number one is Ball disruption. Put a premium on that. Our number one job is to support our quarterback and people are like, what does that mean? We've got to get the ball. That's our number one job. Give him opportunities.
"E is for Effort. Finish. And then, Situational masters. Just being great in the red zone, being awesome on third down, understanding how to conduct a two-minute drill. And then Team Tackling."
It might be a bit of a clumsy acronym, but the right concepts are there: Force turnovers, give the requisite effort, play smart situational football and finish off plays by tackling. It all sounds great on paper, and if the Bengals are able to actually apply the acronym to the field, the unit could indeed take a major step forward in 2025.
Having a new leader could work wonders for the defense. That's the hope at least. But, the Bengals will also need to upgrade the personnel. Cincinnati is widely expected to use its first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on a defender, and much of the team's cap space in free agency should also be dedicated to defense. The unit needs improvements on all three levels, from the line to the linebackers to the secondary.
The Bengals will also need some of the younger players on the roster to step up and establish themselves as dominant defenders. Guys like Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins Jr. and Maema Njongmeta could all see increased opportunity under Golden.
We'll have to wait a while to see what the product looks like on the field, but this offseason is a critical one in Cincinnati when it comes to developing the defense under a new coordinator for the first time in several years.