The Cincinnati Bengals decided to bank heavily on running it back with head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin this offseason.
Simple enough idea: The organization would rather not blow things up and start over. And that’s especially the case, given the advantage it could provide against an AFC North with three other teams starting over with new head coaches and programs.
But running it back with those two has been flanked by big changes elsewhere.
Bengals vice president Elizabeth Blackburn told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com that some of the changes won’t be easy for outsiders to see.
“We think we’ve made changes in certain processes, on the roster, behind the scenes, certain things that can lead to different outcomes. That’s hard sometimes to totally see. But certain change comes with big risk.”
Some of the changes are easy to see, though. The Bengals were more than happy to trade the 10th pick for Dexter Lawrence. They were happy to restructure Joe Burrow’s contract, too.
Other things aren’t as easy to see, like different contract structures than usual. Or, the promotions of Trey Brown, Mike Potts and Steven Radicevic in the scouting department, plus other additions to that area.
To the Bengals’ credit, it could work. Changing how they operate for the better around the same old core might just produce better results. If it doesn’t, then the blow-up option will be all that remains after 2026.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals hint at changes beyond sticking with Zac Taylor, Duke Tobin
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Roling, Bengals Wire | USA TODAY Network
