CINCINNATI BENGALS 2021 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

It has to feel as if the Bengals are half a season behind. After a hot, if not winning start last year for rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, a knee injury ended his opening campaign prematurely and put head coach Zac Taylor and his staff squarely on the hot seat.

This is year three of the Taylor era and, in a perfect world, it would be time for his team to make a leap. Unfortunately, they play in the second toughest division in professional football, the AFC North, that saw three teams not only make the playoffs last season, but win 11 or more games.

Still, there are no excuses. While Taylor might survive for another year without a playoff berth, marked improvement and a significant record jump would be required to remain employed in Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Last season: 4-11-1, 4^th place AFC North

2021 odds: under 6.5 wins -125, over 6.5 wins -105

2021 NFL Draft: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU – Round 1, Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson – Round 2, Joseph Ossai, DE, Texas – Round 3, Cameron Sample, DE, Tulane – Round 4, Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU – Round 4, D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina – Round 4, Evan McPherson, K, Florida – Round 5, Trey Hill, C, Georgia – Round 6, Chris Evans, RB, Michigan – Round 6, Wyatt Hubert, DE, Kansas State – Round 7

UDFAs: Pooka Williams, RB – Kansas, Drue Chrisman, P – Ohio State, Antonio Phillips, CB – Ball State, Pro Wells, TE – TCU, Darius Hodge, DE – Marshall, Collin Hill, QB – South Carolina, Riley Lees, WR – Northwestern

Acquisitions: Riley Reiff, LT – Free Agent, Ricardo Allen, Safety – Free Agent, Mike Hilton, CB – Free Agent, Chidobe Awuzie, CB – Free Agent, Kavon Frazier, Safety – Free Agent, Larry Ogunjobi, DL – Free Agent, Trey Hendrickson, Edge – Free Agent, Thaddeus Moss, TE – Free Agent, Joe Bachie, LB – Free Agent, Trent Taylor, WR – Free Agent

Key Losses: A.J. Green – WR, Bobby Hart – RT, Giovanni Bernard – RB, John Ross – WR, Shawn Williams – S, Randy Bullock – K, Margus Hunt – Edge, Xavier Williams – DL, Ryan Finley – QB, Alex Redmond – RG, Carl Lawson – Edge, Torry McTyer – CB

PRESUMED STARTERS

QB: Joe Burrow

RB: Joe Mixon

WR: Tyler Boyd

WR: Ja’Marr Chase

WR: Tee Higgins

TE: Drew Sample

LT: Jonah Williams

LG: Xavier Su’a-Filo

C: Trey Hopkins

RG: Jackson Carman

RT: Riley Reiff

LDE: Sam Hubbard

LDT: D.J. Reader

RDT: Larry Ogunjobi

RDE: Trey Hendrickson

OLB: Logan Wilson

MLB: Germain Pratt

OLB: Akeem Davis-Gaither

CB: Trae Waynes

CB: Chidobe Awuzie

SS: Vonn Bell

FS: Jessie Bates III

K: Evan McPherson

P: Kevin Huber

FORECAST

The Bengals have the ideal schedule to tantalize their fanbase early. With an opening month facing the Minnesota Vikings at home, the Andy Dalton-led Chicago Bears on the road and then, two weeks later, hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati could easily be looking at a 3-1 start. If Jordan Love is the QB in Green Bay, they could be 5-1 when they roll into Baltimore on Oct. 24. Unfortunately, that’s where meat of the schedule hits as they really get in their AFC North slate, Mixed in are trips to Las Vegas, Denver and home games against the Las Vegas Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.

I do think that the record below, with splits in the division, will be good enough for Taylor to keep his job.

Final Record Prediction: 8-9

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