Are the Cincinnati Bengals overlooked contenders in 2026?
The Bengals feel like they’ve made splash after splash this offseason while going all-in around Joe Burrow. They were one of the more active teams in free agency with names like Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe before the Dexter Lawrence trade, after all.
Still, the Bengals getting active like a modern franchise doesn’t mean the rest of the NFL world has fully come around to the idea of the team as contenders just yet.
Over at USA Today, Jacob Camenker just listed the Bengals as one of four dark-horse sleepers to know for next season.
“Over the last three seasons, Burrow has appeared in 35 of a possible 51 games for the Bengals,” Camenker wrote. “Cincinnati has a 19-16 record in the 35 contests the three-time Pro Bowler has started but sports a mark of just 5-11 when he isn’t on the field.”
The numbers on their own are compelling and proof of the Joe Burrow effect.
Of course, through their actions, the Bengals have made it clear that they hope it won’t be just Joe Burrow playing hero ball and dragging the team along to contention with him. The big moves on defense, to the point that signing someone like Jonathan Allen even went a little overlooked, are proof of that.
Like other teams on this list, such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Bengals will have to prove it once they’re on the field. Defensively, it all needs to come together. But on paper, they certainly look like a team that can surprise.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals still flying as sleeper contenders after offseason of moves
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Roling, Bengals Wire | USA TODAY Network
