While Joe Burrow grabbed the lion’s share of the headlines, it’s the defense that underwent the biggest changes this offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati was once again putrid on the defensive side of the ball in 2019, this time as a new coaching staff with a roster it inherited tried to implement its ideal scheme.
Bad fit, clearly. The Bengals responded with massive spending in free agency and high-value drafting.
So where does the unit rank?
For now, Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire plots them dead last::
“The Bengals went all-out in the offseason to try and improve a defense that started and finished the season out of sorts. They signed former Texans defensive tackle D.J. Reader to pair with Geno Atkins, and signed Vikings reclamation cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander. In the draft, they tried to solve their obvious linebacker problems with the selections of Wyoming’s Logan Wilson and Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither. But there isn’t enough to improve upon a group that posted just 31 sacks last season (though Reader is an underrated interior pass-rusher), and under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in 2019, this defense often didn’t look as if it knew what it was supposed to be doing.”
Like the poor offensive ranking it’s fair — for now.
A season ago, Zac Taylor was late in getting his full staff assembled so they didn’t make any additions of note in free agency and had to use the draft mostly to emergency patch a sinking offensive line.
This offseason? D.J. Reader joins Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson as a pass-rusher up front while versatile guys like Sam Hubbard have another year of experience in Lou Anarumo’s complex scheme. Taylor and Co. saw it fit to draft Logan Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey at linebacker and completely overhaul cornerback starters, never mind the Vonn Bell add at safety and Josh Bynes at linebacker.
While there are bound to be some growing pains, it’s only natural for the defense to experience an upswing now that a new coaching staff had the green light to go get guys they wanted.
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