Zac Taylor faces make-or-break season as Bengals rebuild defense around Joe Burrow's Super Bowl window
Few teams in the NFL are operating under as much pressure heading into the upcoming season as the Cincinnati Bengals. With head coach Zac Taylor facing intense scrutiny in his eighth season at the helm and defensive coordinator Al Golden entering year two of his unit's retool, Cincinnati is aiming to prove that its recent stagnation is over and that franchise quarterback Joe Burrow can lead them back to deep January football.
The Bengals suffered through a deeply disappointing 2025 season, stumbling to a 6–11 record and finishing dead last in a hyper-competitive AFC North. Burrow, again, got injured, and the team called on veteran Joe Flacco. They were good at times, but it always felt like this team had no real chance to earn the postseason spot. This was especially true when Burrow was out. A leaky, depleted defense completely unraveled at times, allowing opposing offenses to dictate games and squandering late leads. Defensive lapses and an inability to generate consistent pass-rush pressure made stringing together victories almost impossible, costing Cincinnati any realistic chance at a wild-card spot well before late December.
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Recognizing that an elite offense was being wasted by defensive liabilities, the front office spent the offseason completely reshaping the front seven and secondary. The biggest marquee splash came via trade when Cincinnati acquired star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the Giants, immediately pairing him with veteran pass rusher Jonathan Allen and edge Boye Mafe to fortify the interior line. In the secondary, the Bengals added physical safety help by signing Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, while re-signing reliable backup quarterback Joe Flacco alongside offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and guard Dalton Risner.
The aggressive retooling came with significant departures. On defense, the Bengals parted ways with longtime pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, edge Joseph Ossai, and defensive backs Cam Taylor-Britt, Geno Stone, and Marco Wilson. Hendrickson felt like the hardest to swallow, considering he went to the rival Ravens.
There is a valid reason for high-ceiling optimism when evaluating Cincinnati’s overall roster makeup. Offensively, as long as Joe Burrow stays healthy behind a re-signed offensive line, the Bengals boast one of the premier perimeter trios in the NFL with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins leading an explosive receiving group. Chase did hurt his knee in a non-contact play, but it appears he is okay. Still something worth being very concerned about if you're a fan or bettor.
The primary difference-maker this season will be the defense. Under Al Golden's direction, the front seven transforms from a structural weakness into a potential strength. The combination of Lawrence and Allen stopping the run and pushing the pocket should create far easier third-down scenarios for a retooled secondary to capitalize on turnover opportunities.
We’ve already seen what Burrow can do when healthy and equipped with even a decent defense. This is one of the few teams that stopped the Chiefs and made it to the Super Bowl. They fell short, but it gives an indication of just how good the team can be. There really shouldn’t be questions about the offense, but PFF has their offensive line ranked 20th in the league. If they can’t keep Burrow upright, how do they expect to win games?
The good news for them is that they are ranked eighth in defensive line. Perhaps those changes in the offseason will give the Bengals a chance to win without Burrow being excellent, or even available for every game. Give me the Bengals to win the division at +184.
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