Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has never shied away from a challenge. Whether it be riding the bench for three years at Ohio State, turning around a moribund NFL franchise, or rallying back from brutal injuries, Burrow's determination and competitive fire are unwavering.
If not for Burrow's advocacy for the Bengals to get off their rears and do something, the personnel department would've stood pat with their roster from last season. Instead, with the threat of a Burrow trade demand lingering in the event of inaction, Cincinnati's brain trust got aggressive to trade for stars like Dexter Lawrence and other high-profile defensive players
But is it enough? Does this Bengals roster that Burrow compared to his 2019 national championship LSU team have the depth to sustain a Super Bowl run?
I love who we have. I love that Burrow is our fearless leader. But there are enough lingering doubts about this team to at least pump the brakes a tad on the Lombardi Trophy talk.
Burrow makes it crystal clear that he's chasing a Super Bowl for Cincinnati this year
Following Thursday's heated joint practice session with the Chicago Bears, Joe Burrow addressed the local media in an electrifying, impassioned press conference. Burrow reemphasized therein how adamant he is about winning a Super Bowl this season:
"I'm trying to put it out into the world. I’m trying to manifest it. [...] I'm tired of saying next year, next year, next year. This is it. Life is too short to keep pushing things down the road."
Couldn't agree more with Joe Brrr's stone-cold take here.
Life is too short. That's why if I were in Duke Tobin's seat as the Bengals' personnel chief, and my job had been secure since the last Bill Clinton administration, I would take the biggest of swings every single year.
Now granted, Duke needs the cooperation of Mike Brown, the Blackburn family, and the powers that be to spend the resources on adequate, championship-caliber talent. Until this offseason, it appeared Tobin didn't have the green light, or maybe the Bengals' underfunded scouting department didn't have the brainpower, wherewithal, or guts to make meaningful roster upgrades.
No excuses now. The floodgates have opened. And reading between the liens a bit on Burrow's presser, I feel like he's sending a subtle message of sorts to the front office.
Bengals are still (at least) one major move away from delivering on Joe Shiesty's ultimate goal
The subtle message I'm referring from Joe Burrow is, "This is still not enough."
Not to put words in our beloved quarterback's mouth, but think about it for a second. Just assume my imagination is running wild and take the plunge on this inferred subtext with me.
Burrow got smoked in the preseason opener when Orlando Brown Jr. got beat by an undrafted rookie around the edge. Second-year fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers was so bad at right guard, and the swing tackle competition was so uninspiring, that the coaching staff desperately moved Rivers out to left tackle with the No. 2 offense.
It'd be nice to see Cincinnati take some initiative and get a viable swing tackle. That's at least one acquisition that needs to be made.
But I'll go further. I'm not so sure Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter are Himothys as the starting linebackers. They were so bad last year. I can't get it out of my head no matter how good the training camp buzz is.
The Bengals have nearly $17 million in cap space and will have even more room to spare after the initial cuts for the 53-man roster. If they make my recommended moves of parting ways with Drew Sample, McKinnley Jackson, and Cody Ford, they'd free up another $5.45 million.
Tell me that, with something like $23 million, Cincinnati couldn't afford, say, future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner, a swing tackle upgrade from Rivers/Ford/whomever, and another player!
I know that the Bengals technically have a WR3 already in Mike Gesicki, but like...can we at least get Jacksonville's wheeling and dealing GM James Gladstone on the phone about a Brian Thomas Jr. trade? Is that too much to ask?
This is what I'm talking about. Burrow's contract was restructured to create more cap space. The Bengals are sitting on their hands, content with middling solutions at multiple key spots on the roster.
Translation: We're looking great, don't get me wrong, but we shouldn't be coasting into Week 1. If there isn't a significant player addition within the couple weeks, I'll be very disappointed. Every fan should be.
...Because that's the standard Joe Burrow is trying to set in Cincinnati. Relentless competition. No stone unturned to improve the team.
So, dearest Bengals decision-makers, please don't let a surplus of cap space roll into 2027. I know DJ Turner needs his new contract and other guys like Chase Brown are up for extensions, too. But just don't do that.
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