Joe Burrow Hammers Home 'Paramount Importance' Of Key Offseason Bengals Strategy

Cincinnati finished with its worst record since Burrow's rookie season.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) returns to the sideline after a fumbled ball is returned for a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow isn't stepping into a player evaluation role for the Bengals this offseason, but he did stamp home how important it is that the team attacks that period as it did earlier in his career.

The Bengals could have top-five cap space when that period starts in March, and there are plenty of holes to fill on defense.

"Yes, that's of paramount importance," Cincinnati's franchise quarterback said about free agency. "I think you have to identify where you're weak and figure out a way to be strong in that area. That's the NFL, year in and year out. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't, but you have to attack that period with intent to get better."

Burrow went 5-3 in his starts this season and had an interception in Sunday's 20-18 loss to Cleveland. But in the grand scheme of things, it only helps Cincinnati get better draft picks in late April. They will pick either ninth or 10th based on the rest of Week 18 results.

The 29-year-old finished his season passing for 7.2 yards per attempt, 14 TDs and four INTs.

He will rest and recover over the offseason before gearing up to play, while it rests in the front office's hands to have the team ready to roll entering Week 1 much smoother than it did this season.

"I sure hope so. I know everybody's frustrated right now," Burrow said about the front office and on-field player dynamic. "There's a disconnect during the season. You know, we're all down here and focused on the day-to-day and trying to get better, and it's their job upstairs, focused on the big picture and where we need to go and who we need to be. So I know they're committed to that."

Cincinnati has missed the playoffs in eight of the past 10 seasons and has no more chances to win a Super Bowl for Burrow in his 20s. 

The clock is ticking on his prime years, and they have plenty of financial resources and potential offensive continuity to fix one side of the ball and ignite this engine.

"We certainly aren't where we need to be, not where I expect to be. So, yeah, we have to figure it out. We got to figure it out," Burrow concluded.

The 2026 offseason has begun.

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