These wild cards could make or break Bengals' playoff dreams

The Cincinnati Bengals missed out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season last year after they appeared in back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2021 and '22. For the team to take another step and return to playoff worthiness, several players will need to step up significantly.

Here are five players who, if they can capitalize on the promise of their draft or free agent status when acquired, could help lead the Bengals back to where they want to be.

1. OT Amarius Mims

We were all ecstatic about the Bengals selecting an offensive lineman in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. After all, worrying about the defense won’t matter much if the offensive line can’t keep defenders away from Joe Burrow. Enter Amarius Mims. 

Mims took over for free agent bust Trent Brown after Brown went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3.

While Mims showed some promise, his overall performance fell short of expectations. He ranked 96th out of 140 tackles with an overall grade of 57.8, according to ProFootball Focus. 

Now, with veteran guard Alex Cappa no longer by his side, Mims must provide a veteran presence while anchoring the right side of the offensive line. His role will be even more critical if he lines up next to a rookie guard in Dylan Fairchild or Jalen Rivers. 

Hopefully, Mims' progression will coincide nicely with an overall improvement of the offensive line, so that fans can finally stop talking about how underwhelming it has been.

2. DE Myles Murphy

Most think that we have seen the best of Myles Murphy. We can only hope that is not the case because there has not been much to see. However, we were not expecting that much from the pass rusher out of Clemson. That is more of a scouting issue than anything else. 

Now heading into his third year with the organization, the team needs Murphy to play more like what the scouting department had in mind when they selected him 28th overall, and less like how fans perceived him when the commissioner announced his name.

Nothing would make fans happier than to be proven wrong. Especially this season, with sack-king Trey Hendrickson holding out and first-round rookie Shemar Stewart refusing to sign a contract with a provision that other first-round draft picks have signed.

If Murphy doesn't take a step forward in year three, not only will Cincinnati not exercise his fifth-year option, but they could also decline his place on the roster.

3. CB Dax Hill

With everyone on the roster struggling to get consistent pressure on quarterbacks, the corners must go above and beyond to help the defense limit big plays and cover explosive receivers. That is why you draft a cornerback like Dax Hill in the first round. 

The Bengals exercised Hill’s fifth-year option this offseason. Now, he’ll have two years to show that he can be the answer at cornerback that Cincinnati needs.

The Bengals selected Hill with the intention of him replacing Jessie Bates. Luckily for Hill, the Bengals recognized his value was not at safety, and he gets to return to the role that made him a Day 1 selection in the first place. 

Hill showed his versatility while at Michigan, playing safety and slot corner. But he had his most success from the corner position.

In an ideal world, Hill would be a slot corner in the nickel and dime defenses, and let DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt start on the outside. However, the plan is to let Hill play on the outside, where he began to look like an excellent corner before his season-ending injury. 

4. S Geno Stone

On the back half of the 2024 season, Geno Stone showed signs of being the player that the Bengals hoped for when they signed him in the offseason. Stone finished the season with four interceptions, one touchdown, and 81 tackles. Three of those takeaways came in December. 

This offseason, the front office asked Stone to take a pay cut, which he accepted. Even offering a lower salary was a surprise to many of us who thought the team might move on from the veteran safety. 

Stone is the most seasoned safety on the roster at the ripe old age of 26. Hopefully, his youth signals room for growth while his professional experience suggests a certain ease with the game that will prove critical for Al Golden’s defense. 

And the organization is betting on him to make a big leap. 

Not only did the team not move on from him, but they did not make any significant moves to upgrade the position in free agency or the draft.

Hopefully, Stone will resemble what he did in his last year in Baltimore and the second half of 2024, as opposed to the first half of his inaugural season with the Bengals. 

5. DT Kris Jenkins Jr.

Another position the Bengals did not address in April's draft is 3-technique defensive tackle. However, they did not need to, thanks to the drafting of Kris Jenkins the previous year. 

Jenkins will challenge incumbent starter BJ Hill for snaps. Ideally, Jenkins will finish the season with more snaps than Hill. 

The Bengals believe in the former Wolverine’s ability, which is why they are counting on him to provide a much-needed rush from the defensive tackle position. 

Jenkins showed glimpses last season while starting nine games and recording three sacks, 31 tackles, and three tackles for loss - a promising rookie season from the 2024 second-round draft pick. Two of his three sacks came in December against their rival, the Cleveland Browns.

And as an early draft pick, Jenkins will get every opportunity to show that he can supplant Hill and take the majority of the snaps as the three-tech in Al Golden's defense.

Everyone on defense must step up to help improve upon a much-maligned defense. However, it is especially the case for recent draft picks who, for various reasons, have not yet hit their stride.