TAKING STOCK: 2022 CINCINNATI BENGALS

BY ADAM GREENE

It was a dream season in which the Cincinnati Bengals woke up from just a little too soon. After finishing with one of the worst records in the NFL in 2020, the Bengals claimed the AFC North title, the AFC Championship and had a chance to win the Super Bowl in the final minutes, only to watch the Los Angeles Rams celebrate under the confetti at SoFi Stadium.

In Joe Burrow’s first full healthy season as a starter, he clicked every box you want as a franchise quarterback, even knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes inside Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Championship. Something only one other QB, a guy named Tom Brady, had done before.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

2021-22 Record: 10-7, first place AFC North

Playoffs: Lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI

NOW WHAT?

The “now what” is simple. You’ve got to stay good, but get just a little bit better. This was a team that was three points away from sending the Super Bowl into overtime. And they did it with one of the weakest offensive lines in the NFL.

So improving that was job No. 1 of the offseason and the Bengals nailed it in….

FREE AGENCY

They could still grab an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft and we’ll talk about that shortly. The Bengals’ offensive line was the weak link in their championship run and they took care of that problem in a big way, signing La’el Collins, fresh from the Dallas Cowboys, center Ted Karras from the New England Patriots and guard Alex Cappa from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their line is now instantly fixed, with former first round pick Jonah Williams at left tackle and 2021 second rounder Jackson Carman at left guard.

The rest of their free agent spending was focused on keeping their own role players and starting corner Eli Apple. They franchised star safety Jessie Bates. They did lose tight end CJ Uzomah to the New York Jets, but replaced him with Hayden Hurst. A downgrade, I think, but not a steep one.

DRAFT

In my original, and since trashed, mock draft I had Cincinnati taking Bernhard Riamann, offensive lineman out of Central Michigan with the No. 31 overall selection. With all the trades and a few possible QBs going in the first round, they could have their pick of him, Zion Johnson out of Boston College, Kenyon Green from Texas A&M or Daniel Faalele from Minnesota at that spot. Regardless, they should stick with an O-lineman unless someone ridiculous drops right into their laps. At worst, he’d be a sixth man if one of their proposed starters gets hurt.

At No. 63 in the second round, I might still look at an offensive lineman like Max Mitchell from Louisina or Chris Paul from Tulsa. But, they could use a corner so it would be difficult to argue with Martin Emerson out of Mississippi State. At No. 95 in the third round, they could shore up their defensive front with Perrion Winfrey, defensive lineman out of Oklahoma or Kalia Davis from UCF.

AFC NORTH

While the AFC West looks like the toughest division in the NFL, the AFC North isn’t far behind. Two teams, the Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, made the playoffs last season and Deshaun Watson (depending on if he’s suspended) immediately makes the Cleveland Browns a contender. You can’t leave out Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, who nearly made the playoffs last season without him. Cincy should still win this division, but it’ll be a gauntlet right up until Week 18.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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