CINCINNATI — Quarterback Joe Burrow said Thursday he is done waiting and is framing the upcoming season as a now-or-never chance for the Cincinnati Bengals. “You can keep pushing it down the road or you can talk about it now and say this is the year,” Burrow said. “I’m tired of saying, ‘Next year, next year, next year.’ This is it.”
The sense of urgency carried into a joint practice with the Chicago Bears, where Cincinnati closed the session with a clean victory. The Bengals’ starters won both of two simulated final periods that mimicked the last 3:30 of a game. After a defensive stop in the first, the offense moved into field-goal range for kicker Evan McPherson.
Defensive play highlighted the second period. Newly acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II intercepted a pass he batted into the air, defensive end Myles Murphy recorded two sacks including one that resulted in a safety, and cornerback Jalen Davis picked off Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams near his own goal line.
Cincinnati has been active in reshaping its roster since a 6-11 campaign last season, its first losing season since Burrow’s rookie year in 2020. The team signed linebacker Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million deal and traded for Lawrence. “He’s an All-Pro guy,” teammate said of Lawrence, adding he is in the same category as Kansas City’s Chris Jones.
Burrow has openly discussed title aspirations in recent months, at times comparing the current roster to the 2019 LSU team he led to an undefeated season. “I’m trying to put it out into the world,” he said, adding he wants to manifest a championship and instill urgency across the organization. He also cautioned the offense needs greater consistency as the preseason winds down.
Cincinnati has three weeks until its season opener at Tampa Bay, when the team will begin to see whether the offseason changes and renewed intensity produce a sustained run toward the Super Bowl.
