The Cincinnati Bengals are deservedly garnering a lot of hype for what they've achieved this offseason. Whether their big roster moves pan out or not, the philosophical shift in the front office is the most important takeaway.
Kay Adams is a known Bengals fan and is unwavering in her support. One could argue that both myself and Kay manifested the Dexter Lawrence trade.
While we always have to be wary of our homerism biases, I think I speak for most Who Dey Heads when I say something has changed within the Bengals in the past several months. Adams was just in Cincinnati, and her experience of being around the team seemed to confirm that notion.
Bengals pied piper Kay Adams is a big believer in the 2026 team thanks in large part to Dexter Lawrence's arrival
After spending time in Cincinnati for the The Joe Burrow Foundation Golf Invitational, Adams got to see lots of the players and picked up on the noticeable vibe shift surrounding the Bengals compared to years past. Much of Adams' optimism has to do with the Lawrence landing in the Queen City:
"I cannot explain how much different and unique this felt to every other trip I've ever taken to Cincinnati. There is a confidence on this team that permeates the city and the fanbase that it is time…the Super Bowl is back in LA. We're going right back there, and we're finishing the job. […] The presence of Dexter Lawrence, and the lore of him, is bigger than the size of him. […] It’s very Paul Bunyan-y. […] Dexter Lawrence is an amazing, like, soul fit for this defense and this locker room."
Completionists can check out Adams' lengthy monologue below, the other main point of which is that the AFC's top contenders all have major question marks heading into this year. Therefore, by mere process of elimination, and given the circumstances surrounding the Bengals headed into 2026, it's hard to discount their chances to be serious contenders.
This is the year the Bengals finish the job. Here's why:@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/5AObgFX0NQ
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) June 3, 2026
Gotta say, I ain't scared of many other teams in the AFC in particular. The Buffalo Bills objectively do not have as good of a roster as the Bengals do. Josh Allen's big-time weapon addition was DJ Moore? He who can't give full effort on, like, half the snaps he plays, if not more? Cue the LeBron James "pretends to be shook" meme.
Who else is there? The Houston Texans' defense is a beast, but C.J. Stroud was a shrinking violet in the playoffs, throwing four interceptions in his last start and coughing up five fumbles in the prior game.
That New England team that knocked off Stroud's Texans carried Drake Maye and his 82.2 postseason passer rating to the Super Bowl. Now, their head coach, Mike Vrabel, is embroiled in a personal scandal that's too weird not to become a distraction, especially now that the Patriots don't have a full-on cakewalk schedule like they did in 2025.
Who's left? The AFC North rival Ravens. Fair play. Baltimore could benefit from a new defensive wizard at head coach in Jesse Minter, but Lamar Jackson's contract situation is still in the wind, he's coming off an injury-riddled season, and unlike Burrow, he relies way more on his legs to be an elite QB. Plus, Jackson is adjusting to a new offense. Will it all go smoothly right away? I doubt it.
Plus, with Stroud playing for his second contract, and Allen and Jackson trying to put years of playoff scar tissue behind them just to merely reach a Super Bowl, which Joe Burrow did in Year 2, they're all under way more pressure.
The same goes for Maye, really, to shake off his "The Schedule" nickname. Like the Bengals, the Chiefs went 6-11 last year. However, Patrick Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, and did Kansas City really do enough to build their roster this offseason to return to contention? Doesn't feel like it!
So yeah, give Kay, Who Dey Nation, and I Burrow, with a vastly improved, Lawrence-led defense, against that field any day of the week and twice on an NFL Sunday.
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