The Bengals' Offseason Mission is Simple: Get the Offense
CINCINNATI — The Bengals are entering one of the most important offseasons in team history.
2020 taught us a lot about Cincinnati and the rest of the NFL.
We learned that Joe Burrow is a franchise passer. Will he become a top 10 quarterback? Top 5?
His ceiling remains to be seen, but Cincinnati took the right guy with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
We also learned that the guys blocking for Burrow need to be better. Heck, we knew that going into the season, but the results confirmed the worries that reverberated throughout the fanbase last offseason.
Tee Higgins showed everyone that he's going to be a good wide receiver for a long time.
All in all, the Bengals are a flawed football team. They have issues on offense and defense.
Which side of the ball should they prioritize this offseason?
That's an easy question to answer if you've been watching the NFL playoffs.
The old saying "defense wins championships" might still apply to baseball, soccer or badminton, but it shouldn't be used when referring to the National Football League.
Offense wins championships in today's NFL.
There's a reason Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Josh Allen are the last four quarterbacks standing.
All four teams have a mixture of star quarterbacks, offensive innovators and elite skill players.
The best quarterback (Rodgers) and wide receiver (Devante Adams) in the league may reside in Green Bay. Throw in a young offensive innovator like Matt LaFleur and suddenly the Packers are expected to go the Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers didn't have Antonio Brown for most of the second half on Sunday due to a knee injury, but it didn't matter because Tampa Bay's offense has plenty of skill players Brady can rely on in critical moments.
Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans and Brown finished with three catches for 27 yards. Brady didn't flinch because he also had a plethora of other playmakers including Cameron Brate, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller.
Did the Chiefs get conservative after Mahomes got knocked out of Sunday's game against the Browns?
An offense with stars like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and other dynamic weapons like Mecole Hardman can stay aggressive, even with Chad Henne at quarterback.
The Bills might be the best example of the group. Allen has developed into a quality passer, but they've added multiple pieces to their offense over the past two seasons. From signing John Brown and Cole Beasley in free agency to trading their 2020 first round pick for Stefon Diggs—they prioritized offensive weapons and it's paid off.
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is pressing all of the right buttons. The Buffalo fan base has been starving for a winner for more than two decades. They suddenly have a realistic chance to play in the Super Bowl.
What's the one trait that the Bills, Bucs, Chiefs and Packers all have in common?
All four teams have high-end quarterbacks, above average offensive lines and elite weapons.
All four teams finished in the top five of points scored this season. Green Bay was first in points-per-game (31.8), Tampa Bay finished second (30.7), Buffalo was third (30.3) and the Chiefs were fifth (29.1).
None of the four remaining teams had a top-7 scoring defense.
Defense matters, but offense wins championships.
Teams like the Browns, Ravens, Saints, and Seahawks never had a true shot to win the Super Bowl because their offenses were limited for various reasons.
Why does this apply to the Bengals? They're flawed on both sides of the ball. They need to upgrade their offensive and defensive lines. They could also use a playmaking linebacker and another cornerback.
They also need a true downfield threat at wide receiver and/or tight end.
How can Cincinnati compete with Mahomes, Allen and the rest of the AFC? Do they need another linebacker? What about cornerback? Another pass rusher?
Fixing the Bengals' roster is going to take time, but they need to invest in the offense this offseason.
This organization should build a wall in front of Burrow and give him as many weapons as possible. Sign multiple veteran linemen that can come in and start for new offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
Bring in another potential star wide receiver to go along with Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Add another young pass catcher in the draft that can be developed.
Stock up on weapons and offensive linemen. Give head coach Zac Taylor a chance to show he can be the next Sean McVay or LaFleur.
An offense with Burrow, Boyd, Higgins, Joe Mixon and 2-3 other dynamic pass catching options is exactly what's necessary to win big in today's NFL.
Of course it starts in the trenches. Don't ignore the offensive line like last offseason. Spend big money at tackle. Bring in an established guard. If the value is right in the draft, double down and add another lineman or two.
The Bengals have Burrow. That gives them an edge over plenty of other teams with question marks at quarterback.
If they want to be taken seriously, they'll go all-in and put the necessary pieces around their star signal-caller.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane got the offense. The same goes for Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht.
Even the Packers went out and found an elite young offensive mind to call the shots in Green Bay.
You can't have enough weapons in today's NFL. Averaging 30 points-per-game or more has to be the Bengals' goal in 2021. Cincinnati has a good core of weapons, but they have to build on it and upgrade the offensive line this offseason.
The Bengals have to be aggressive. They spent big money last March, but defense was their focus.
That needs to shift if they're going to turn things around and become a legitimate playoff contender in 2021.
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