The Cincinnati Bengals finished mandatory minicamp this week and are now off until training camp begins. So, we’re now in the ranking phase of the NFL offseason.
While some pundits like Fox Sports’ Nick Wright believe the Bengals are garnering too much attention, others like ESPN’s Adam Schefter believe Cincinnati could be dangerous this upcoming season.
The Bengals have the third-easiest schedule, according to last season’s win percentage, and added several key players on defense, including defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and safety Bryan Cook.
Will the defensive additions alongside all 11 starters returning on offense lead to the Bengals returning to the postseason? Here’s where USA TODAY’s Nate Davis says the Bengals rank:
Cincinnati Bengals NFL power ranking
Davis has the Bengals ninth in the league – up from 11th – ahead of training camp. The Bengals have missed the playoffs three straight seasons due to a multitude of issues, including injuries to quarterback Joe Burrow and one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
Burrow, for his part, compared this Bengals roster to his 2019 LSU national championship team and said “We have everything we need in that locker room. We just have to go make it happen.”
Here’s what Davis wrote about Cincinnati: “‘We have everything we need,’ QB Joe Burrow said this week while comparing these Stripes to his dominant 2019 LSU national champions. If that means an unstoppable offense − and one that protects Burrow adequately − plus a defense that can simply limit the opposition to 25 points a week, then Burrow might be onto something with his comp.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Burrow could be ‘onto something’ as Bengals climb power rankings
Reporting by Jason Hoffman, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jason Hoffman, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
