The 2025 season has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for the Cincinnati Bengals. Through the first 15 weeks of the season, the Bengals have managed to win just four games and have won just one since Joe Burrow came back from an injury that sidelined him for two months.
To make matters worse, the Bengals were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, meaning they've now missed the postseason three years in a run. To go from a team that was in the Super Bowl and then so close to reaching the big game again the next year to now not even qualifying for the playoffs is embarrassing, especially when you have a quarterback like Burrow leading the way.
But, that's the reality this team is facing. They've now officially gone three years without a playoff appearance after Sunday's 24-0 loss to the Ravens.
Bad drafting is a big part of why this is the timeline the Bengals are living in now. The good news here is that with a bad season comes a high draft pick, which Cincinnati will own due to its measly four wins so far.
Where would Bengals be picking in first round of 2026 NFL Draft?
Number | Team | Record | Strength of Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York Giants | 2-12 | .536 |
2 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2-12 | .548 |
3 | Tennessee Titans | 2-12 | .576 |
4 | Cleveland Browns | 3-11 | .483 |
5 | New York Jets | 3-11 | .538 |
6 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-11 | .571 |
7 | New Orleans Saints | 4-10 | .494 |
8 | Washington Commanders | 4-10 | .508 |
9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 4-10 | .521 |
10 | Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) | 5-9 | .502 |
11 | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-8 | .519 |
12 | Minnesota Vikings | 6-8 | .521 |
13 | Miami Dolphins | 6-7 | .481 |
14 | Dallas Cowboys | 6-7-1 | .447 |
15 | Baltimore Ravens | 7-7 | .500 |
16 | Carolina Panthers | 7-7 | .519 |
17 | Detroit Lions | 8-6 | .496 |
18 | New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) | 8-6 | .530 |
If the season ended today, the Bengals would hold the ninth pick in the draft, a far cry from where fans were hoping they'd end up selecting when the season began and everyone had Super Bowl aspirations for this squad.
Read More: Bengals mock draft leans into fundamentals, physicality & yes, tackling
To go from being a team people had high hopes for to now holding a top-10 pick in the draft is pretty sad but hopefully the Bengals make the most of it.
The last time the Bengals held a pick in the top 10 of the first round was when they took Ja'Marr Chase fifth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. At the time, that pick was looked at as controversial considering the Bengals' needs at offensive tackle but I'd say it panned out (though Penei Sewell would have been an excellent selection for them as well).
If the Bengals can nail this pick, it could set them up to get right back in the thick of things next year.