CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow was a constant presence this offseason, balancing public appearances with two news conferences during workouts as the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for a season described internally as one of the most important since Burrow was the No. 1 overall pick in 2020. Cincinnati finished 6-11 in 2025 and made aggressive roster moves, including adding Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.
On leadership, Burrow said: “It’s been fun to watch the communication of the defense in these walkthroughs that we’ve had. Who’s going to be vocal? Who’s going to step up into that leadership role? That’s a lot of question marks, but we’re gonna set out to (find the) answer.” That matters after a defense retooled on the fly last season; two defensive captains in 2025, Trey Hendrickson and Logan Wilson, did not finish the season and are no longer on the roster (Hendrickson not retained in free agency; Wilson traded and now retired). Cincinnati added veteran contributors from winning teams in hopes of shoring up leadership, including edge rusher Boye Mafe (Seattle Seahawks), safety Bryan Cook (Kansas City Chiefs) and safety Kyle Dugger (New England Patriots), alongside emerging young players Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr.
On the ground game, Burrow said: “Trying to find ways to be explosive in the run game and then try to find some things off of that that can get us a couple of easy explosives — we’re committed to that. Our coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together to try to execute that.” The comment came amid questions about under-center work versus shotgun; since 2024 the Bengals have lined up in shotgun 82.2% of the time, the second-highest rate in the NFL, according to ESPN Research. Cincinnati also needs more explosive rushing plays: the team ranked 27th last season in the percentage of rushes that went for 10 or more yards and was 20th in rush yards over expectation against light boxes, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
On urgency, Burrow added: “A lot of urgency this year. We have everything we need. We’re deep at just about every position on the team.” That line encapsulates the offseason work: after missing the playoffs the past three seasons, the Bengals upgraded a defense that ranked 27th in points allowed per drive and brought in reinforcements under second-year coordinator Al Golden. Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn declined to speculate on coach Zac Taylor’s future following the vote of confidence that confirmed his return after the 2025 season.
