Instead of entering the new season with a collection of questions, this Bengals team seems much more stable. Even the newcomers have adapted quickly, according to Taylor.
“I think you saw a lot of development in Year 2 from a lot of guys, Year 2 in the system development, so it’s great to see from all of these guys that we’re returning that we have high expectations for,” Taylor said. “I thought the leadership the new guys have brought, the free agents we’ve brought in has been great. They’ve picked it up quickly, they’ve played a lot of ball so they understand it very well. So I just thought about the chemistry, the communication has really improved on that side of the ball and it’s really good to see.”
The biggest questions surrounding the Bengals in recent years have focused on their defense’s inability to do their part and Burrow’s health. Last season, he suffered yet another medical setback that cost him a significant portion of the season, and when he returned, it was essentially too late for Burrow to lead an improbable playoff victory.
While health is never guaranteed, director of player personnel Duke Tobin appears to have finally answered the lingering question by aggressively addressing the defense. On paper, the Bengals appear poised to finally return to the playoffs and to the level of contention they expected to enjoy after reaching Super Bowl LVI.
Fortunately, Super Bowl LXI is in the same place: Los Angeles. We’ll see if the offseason efforts are enough to bring them back to Southern California in February.