2022 Season Recap
Record: 12-4 (1st in AFC North)
Points For: 418 (7)
Points Against: 322 (6)
Off-Season Roster Recap
Added: T Orlando Brown, LB Germaine Prat, S Nick Scott , TE Irv Smith Jr. , EDGE Tarell Basham, G Cody Ford, CB Sidney Jones, QB Trevor Siemian
Draft Recap Offense
WR Charlie Jones, RB Chase Brown, WR Andrei Iosivas, P Brad Robbins
Draft Recap Defense
EDGE Myles Murphy, CB DJ Turner, S Jordan Battle, CB DJ Ivey
2023 Outlook
The Cincinnati Bengals have been to a Super Bowl and two AFC Championship Games over the past two seasons, but they’re still looking for their first Lombardi Trophy in team history. The Bengals have built one of the best offensive rosters they have ever had, and they have built a “bend, don’t break” defense.
The Bengals have spent the last two years re-building the offensive line to protect their best asset, QB Joe Burrow. They made a huge splash in free agency and signed LT Orlando Brown Jr., which moved Jonah Williams to RT to fill in for the injured La’el Collins. This should be the best line that they have had since allowing Andrew Whitworth walk to the Rams.
The Bengals also brought in pass-catching TE Irv Smith Jr. to pair with blocking TE Drew Sample. They still didn’t draft a TE and their TE room is still thin. Smith looks to fill the one year and done role this season for the offense. I wouldn’t expect much from Smith other than a chain-mover and redzone threat.
The Bengals have stood by RB Joe Mixon, and they proved they were committed when they didn’t draft a RB (Chase Brown) until the 5th round. Brown looks to have the edge over veteran Trayveon Williams to fill the role vacated by the departure of Samaje Perine to Denver. I look to Brown to be a short-yardage/goal-line back and Mixon more of a pass-catching back in this pass first offense.
At WR, they still hold one of the best WR rooms in the NFL with Chase, Higgins and Boyd. They added a slot receiver in Charlie Jones in the draft and he looks the part of the 4th WR on this team and probably a Boyd replacement next season. WR depth has been a problem and that showed itself in the AFC Championship game when Boyd was injured, and no one could step into that role. If everyone is healthy, this WR room is going to carry this team.
Cincinnati’s bend don’t break defense has been built with a combination of veterans picked off from other teams and savy draft picks. It doesn’t hurt that DC Lou Anarumo returned to the team and he figures out how to get the most out of his players and he builds his defense around their strengths. This will continue to be a middle of the road defense that will limit mistakes and keep the Bengals in games.
The Bengals did return their entire coaching staff and this team is poised to be a Super Bowl team once again. The AFC isn’t getting any easier, and neither is the AFC North. All the teams in the North have gotten better, and the rest of the AFC is no walk in the park.
Here is a look at their schedule:
Week 1 at Cleveland
Week 2 vs Baltimore
Week 3 vs Los Angeles Rams
Week 4 at Tennessee
Week 5 at Arizona
Week 6 vs Seattle
Week 7 BYE
Week 8 at San Francisco
Week 9 vs Buffalo
Week 10 vs Houston
Week 11 at Baltimore
Week 12 vs Pittsburgh
Week 13 at Jacksonville
Week 14 vs Indianapolis
Week 15 vs. Minnesota
Week 16 at Pittsburgh
Week 17 at Kansas City
Week 18 vs Cleveland
Strength of schedule: .510 (17th toughest)
Vegas Wins – 11.5
#AgentJO’s record prediction - 12 Wins -5 Losses
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