The Cincinnati Bengals, for lack of a better term, have had a lackluster offseason. Last season, Joe Burrow and the offense started slow and, for the second straight season, finished with a 9-8 record. This franchise hasn’t been a big spender historically in the offseason. Let’s dive into the Bengals’ offseason and see if it could get the team back to where they want to be!
Bengals’ 2024-2025 Season Recap
To put it lightly, last season was a season from hell for the Bengals. Joe Burrow had his best season completing 70.6% of his passes and leading the NFL with 4918 passing yards and 43 TDs. We also saw their superstar Ja’Marr Chase become the fifth receiver to win the triple crown, leading the NFL in catches, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. However, as great their offense was, their defense was equally bad, despite having the NFL sack leader, Trey Hendrickson. Hence the Bengals missed the playoffs by one game.
Offseason Departures
The most significant departure, to me for the Bengals this past offseason was the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Whenever coordinators get fired, more often than not, it’s not due to them losing their fastball. It’s a down year based on preseason expectations. Outside of Henderickson, this is a below-average defensive roster. When you give a chef chicken, you know what to ask them to make, but it’s difficult. They signed Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator Al Golden to replace Anarumo.
Personnel-wise, there were a few notable losses. Despite missing the majority of the year with a knee injury, the team decided not to re-sign OT Trent Brown, who was one of their significant offseason acquisitions the year prior. They lost DE Sam Hubbard to retirement and watched other players such as Mike Hilton, Germaine Pratt, and Akeem Davis-Gaither leave through free agency. With Pratt playing on 95% of their defensive snaps and being their leading tackler the past two seasons, he will be missed greatly on this defense.
Offseason Additions
Let’s talk about the draft. They addressed the defensive side of the ball with their first two selections. Shemar Stewart, who just signed his rookie contract three days ago, should improve from an edge-setting perspective. However, he is a projection pick rather than a production pick. In the second round, they drafted Demetrius Knight out of South Carolina. Knight was compared to former Bengals’ linebacker Germaine Pratt coming out of college.
Many of their offseason moves were locking up their young talent for the foreseeable future. Cincinnati re-signed their top two receivers, Chase and Tee Higgins to massive extensions. The Bengals are ecstatic that their best defensive player, Trey Hendrickson, reported to camp today and is ending his holdout. His loss would have been devastating for their playoff chances.
Personal Thoughts on the Bengals’ Offseason
Nothing happened. There were no significant roster improvements. When you haven’t been to the playoffs since 2022-2023, something’s got to give. With the extensions of their big three, Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, that strangles what the team can spend elsewhere. The fact that Higgins got paid and it took this long to compensate Hendrickson shows you what this team values. This organization has valued its second-best receiver over its best defensive player. There is a reason this team has been in the dumps for most of my life.
Final Thoughts
Assuming the Bengals can have a “normal” start to the season, they have the offensive talent to contend in the AFC. The last two times this team made the playoffs; they were in the Super Bowl contestants and the AFC Championship Game participants. In terms of QB and WR duos, there’s an argument that this organization has the best. At least the Hendrickson saga is finalized.
As always, thank you so much for checking out my recap and review of the Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason moves! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
