The 2023 season was not kind to the Cincinnati Bengals. A calf injury to franchise quarterback Joe Burrow set the Bengals back to begin the year. They got off to a 1-3 start as a result. But just as they were beginning to turn things around, another injury to their QB stunted a 4-1 stretch as their 2023 campaign fell off the rails. But a series of moves in the offseason has Cincinnati looking formidable again this year. The 2024 Bengals can make their roster even more potent heading into the season by targeting one of two Denver Broncos, Samaje Perine or Greg Dulcich, in trade.
Bengals bring back Samaje Perine
The Bengals' running back room is a bit of a question mark at the moment. They traded Joe Mixon off their roster in the offseason to the Houston Texans for a 2024 seventh-round pick. It was mostly a financial move but Mixon hasn't always been an efficient player during his time in Cincinnati. Mixon only had one season out of seven with a yards-per-carry average above 4.5.
All the Bengals did to replace him this offseason was sign Zack Moss. They also used a fifth-round pick on Illinois' Chase Brown in last year's draft. Brown played sparingly as a rookie but he is set to have an expanded role in Cincinnati's offense in 2024.
Moss could actually be an improvement over Mixon. He ranked fifth among running backs in rushing yards over expectation per attempt last season according to NFL Next Gen Stats. However, Moss himself only has one season with a yards-per-carry average exceeding 4.5. Brown registered just 58 touches in 12 games last year.
But, the Bengals' depth behind those two is virtually nonexistent. They could use another piece in that backfield, which could come from Denver in Samaje Perine. Perine carved out a nice third-down role with the Bengals from 2020 through 2022. He is excellent in pass protection and 76 passes in that time.
Perine could be out of a role in Denver after one season with the team. Javonte Williams is fully healthy now after returning from a torn ACL. Jaleel McLaughlin emerged as a solid receiving back last year, and Denver drafted Notre Dame's Audric Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 draft.
The Broncos don't need Perine and the Bengals could use depth at that spot. Why not bring back a familiar face?
Cincinnati trades for Greg Dulcich
The Bengals have constantly been searching for a legitimate tight end in the Joe Burrow era. They're about to enter a fourth consecutive season with a different starter at that position. It was CJ Uzomah in 2021, then Hayden Hurst in 2022, and Irv Smith Jr. last year. Smith Jr. left for the Kansas City Chiefs and was replaced by the Bengals with former Miami Dolphin Mike Gesicki.
Cincinnati did also draft former Michigan and Iowa tight end Erick All Jr. and Arizona's Tanner McLachlan. However, both were Day 3 picks with neither being projected to become key players this year. All tore his ACL in October of 2023, so he may not even be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
Perhaps the solution to Cincinnati's tight end issue is also in Denver in Greg Dulcich. Many pegged Dulcich as a potential breakout player in 2023 after a strong rookie campaign. He is an excellent receiver out of that spot who can really stretch the field vertically.
But injuries robbed him of the chance of building off of that success as a rookie. He played in only two games in 2023 and caught just three passes. A hamstring injury held him out for the start of the year and continued to nag him throughout the season.
Dulcich looks like the Broncos' number one tight end entering 2024 but it's worth remembering that Sean Payton was not in Denver when he got drafted. He did draft Adam Trautman while he was with the Saints and brought him to the Broncos with him. Lucas Krull is also there and has gotten some hype in the offseason.
It's possible Denver could move on from Dulcich after a nonexistent 2023 season. If they do, Cincinnati should be first in line to try to acquire him. He could be a perfect weapon for Burrow and the Bengals.
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