Joe Burrow believes the Cincinnati Bengals have assembled something special.
Bleacher Report would like to see some proof.
Cincinnati landed at No. 15 in Bleacher Report’s NFL power rankings entering training camp, placing the Bengals in the middle of the league despite an offense built around Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The ranking put Cincinnati 15th overall, behind the Baltimore Ravens and several other AFC contenders, but ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
Is this a championship team, though?
Burrow compared the 2026 Bengals to the undefeated LSU team he led to a national championship in 2019, telling reporters that both groups carried high expectations and “so much greatness” to accomplish.
Bleacher Report’s assessment offered a much more cautious message.
Cincinnati has the talent to reach the postseason, but its recent history no longer makes that outcome safe to assume.
Bengals Have Lost the Benefit of the Doubt
The Bengals have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.
That stretch has changed the way Cincinnati is evaluated, as Burrow’s presence once made the Bengals an automatic part of the AFC contender conversation.
Now there is an assumption the team’s offensive talent doesn’t equate to winning, unable to overcome the problems elsewhere on the roster.
The Bengals finished 6-11 last season while allowing 492 points, the second-highest total in the NFL. Their 28.9 points allowed per game ranked 30th.
Cincinnati scored 414 points, good for 12th in the league, despite Burrow missing time.
The offense remained productive enough to keep the Bengals competitive, but the defense left it little margin for error. Bleacher Report noted that Cincinnati has produced a defense ranked in the NFL’s top half only once since 2018.
Therefore, it’s no wonder an elite quarterback and one of football’s strongest receiving groups were not enough to move the Bengals into the top 10.
Cincinnati has also reached an uncomfortable point with head coach Zac Taylor.
Bleacher Report argued that the Bengals need to win at least one playoff game to prevent Burrow’s frustration from leading to larger changes next offseason.
Taylor coached Cincinnati to a Super Bowl and another AFC Championship Game earlier in Burrow’s career, but those accomplishments feel increasingly distant after three years without a playoff appearance.
A No. 15 ranking reflects a team caught between its ceiling and its recent results.
Defensive Overhaul Gives Cincinnati a Chance to Climb
The Bengals did not spend the offseason pretending last year’s defense was acceptable.
Cincinnati traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle with 30.5 career sacks.
The Bengals also signed Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, reshaping multiple levels of the unit. Cincinnati’s official free-agency tracker lists seven new defensive additions, including cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor.
Lawrence supplies the centerpiece.
He has earned two second-team All-Pro selections and recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2024. His presence should make life easier for Allen inside and Mafe off the edge.
The investment gives Cincinnati a reasonable argument that last year’s defensive performance will not repeat itself.
It does not guarantee the pieces will fit immediately.
The Bengals are adding several veterans to a defense that must learn to play together while replacing former leading pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Additionally, young linebackers and cornerbacks still need to develop around the new arrivals.
Cincinnati ranked 15th leaves room to rise, while Burrow, Lawrence and the defensive newcomers provide the hope to catapult to the top.
Cincinnati Bengals Receive Reality Check in New NFL Rankings