3 bold predictions for Bengals 2023 season

When it comes to bold predictions for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2023 season, "winning the Super Bowl" and "Joe Burrow being crowned MVP" just don't thread the needle. It's not that those wouldn't be welcomed sights in Cincinnati but they're not bold by any stretch of the imagination.

The Bengals are one of the best teams in the league so if they won the Super Bowl, people wouldn't be surprised. Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so if he won MVP, no one would be shocked.

These bold predictions are just that -- BOLD. If these predictions I'm about to spell out for you did indeed end up happening, people would probably be pretty stunned. Let's dive in, shall we?

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference

Chase Brown is RB1 all season and has 1,500 scrimmage yards as a rookie

If the Bengals aren't able to restructure Joe Mixon's contract before the season starts, don't be surprised if they part ways with the long-time Bengal altogether. If this happens, it'll be rookie fifth-rounder Chase Brown leading the charge for the Stripes at running back.

Rookie running backs have success in the NFL all the time. Just look at what Saquon Barkley did for the Giants in 2018 or what Ezekiel Elliott did for the Cowboys in 2016. Both of those guys were top-10 picks, however. Brown was a fifth-round pick out of a school not really praised for its football prowess.

The Bengals adding Orlando Brown Jr. to their o-line should help the run game get back to its 2021 form and if that happens, watch out for Brown this year, folks. Not only will he rush for over 1,000 yards but he'll also be a lethal pass-catcher and will finish the season with roughly 1,500 yards from scrimmage.

If this happens, Bengals fans won't end up missing Mixon at all.