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The Cincinnati Bengals were told, time and time again, that they were not supposed to make the Super Bowl, were not supposed to make it past the giants in the AFC, were not supposed to win their division. Yet, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and the rest of the team just would not give in, even though they came up short.
The 2022 NFL offseason for the Bengals is potentially the most important offseason in their franchise’s history, seeing as how they have a ton of cap space and holes that need to be filled. With key members on both sides of the ball locked in long-term, this team is primed and ready to make sure that their 2021 season was not a fluke.
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Bengals Offseason Predictions
4. OL is Target 1 – but not in free agency
It is a well-documented issue that the Bengals faced plenty of issues protecting Joe Burrow. Their offensive line was a sieve at times through the season and especially on the national stage, setting the table for the team to invest and invest heavily in upgrades this offseason.
Brandon Scherff is the prized possession this offseason, and while thinking that the Bengals will target him is a smart outlook, actually securing his services may not be as likely. Picture more of an outcome that sees a player like tackle Trent Brown or guard Mark Glowinski than the big fish come to protect Burrow.
In the NFL Draft is where the Bengals will do their heavy OL investments, using at least three of their eight selections on OL upgrades. Zion Johnson (BC), Trevor Penning (NIU), and Nicholas Petit-Frere (OSU) are all prospects that are likely high on Cincinnati’s draft board for the first two rounds.
3. Here's to a defensive reunion
Two defensive stalwarts for the Bengals – safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi – are set to hit free agency and command big checks this offseason. But with the kind of cap space the Bengals have, bringing back both players is certainly in the realm of possibilities.
Bates is one of the best safety options in a crowded, top-heavy FA class this offseason, and being one of the youngest (24) only drives his price tag up. The Bengals drafted Bates from Wake Forrest back in 2018 and have reaped the benefits since, so keeping their stud safety in-house is a great first move to make.
Ogunjobi was brought in on a one-year deal after having played his first four years with Cleveland. Producing a career-high seven sacks boosts his next contract value, and the 27-year-old will be earning more than his $6.4 million deal from this past season.
2. Gronk dons the stripes
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Never say never, but it does look like Tom Brady has finally decided to hang up his cleats – which means that Rob Gronkowski is now free to determine if he wants to retire (again) or latch on somewhere else.
32 years old and as chipper as ever, Gronk commented on his ‘affinity’ for Burrow, which created a potential path for Gronk to keep playing – and to think that the Bengals are now a place players actually want to go in free agency is a mind-blowing but very accurate statement.
With C.J. Uzomah a free agent, Burrow would love to have a burly tight end running down the field and catching passes from him, which also would open up stuff for Tyler Boyd, Chase, and Tee Higgins down the field.
A one-year, incentive-driven deal for Gronk to make the jump north would be a great move for both sides, providing the Bengals with a look at a great TE while giving Gronk another chance at the spotlight and a potential ring.
1. Defensive Secondary becomes best in the league
Eli Apple earned the right to be on the receiving end of many jokes due to his lacking coverage in the Super Bowl, and it's likely that the Bengals noticed how their secondary needs some external reinforcements to compete.
Armed to the tooth with copious amounts of cash, Cincinnati can go out and immediately renovate their defensive secondary, to the tune of bringing in cornerback J.C. Jackson and safety Marcus Williams – all while bringing back Bates.
Jackson is going to be tough to pry away from the New England Patriots, but the 26-year-old is the best CB on the market and will be paid as such. With the Bengals actually having the money to pay him, he likely could be joining the AFC North.
Williams is a much tougher fit here, due to the fact that Vonn Bell is already the team’s starting strong safety and Williams plays the same position as Bates at free safety. So there are two ways to tackle this – one being an outright cap-saving move of releasing/trading Bell (likely after June 1 for no ‘23 dead cap) or two (and the likeliest) would be to move Bell down into a box role alongside Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt.
Williams is also young (25) and will command a large amount of money, so the cap-saving release of the oft-injured Trae Waynes would help facilitate this move as well.
