[jwplayer NbHm3jlP]
The Cincinnati Bengals earned rave reviews for the front office’s performance in the 2020 NFL draft following up a strong trip to free agency.
Now it’s time for projections.
The Bengals and No. 1 pick Joe Burrow come up often in a new predictive piece from ESPN. Six of the experts polled say Burrow is their pick to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Here’s the explanation from Matt Bowen:
“Bowen: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals. It’s Burrow’s high-level traits — the movement skills, the ability to process the field, the prime ball location — paired with his fit in Zac Taylor’s offense. And with the Bengals adding wide receiver Tee Higgins — a contested-catch star — to mesh with a veteran group of pass-catchers, Burrow will have the targets to produce numbers as a rookie.”
And Mina Kimes:
“Kimes: Burrow. The Bengals’ offense could be hard to watch last season, but it was also missing a number of players, including wide receiver A.J. Green and first-round offensive tackle Jonah Williams. With Higgins in the mix alongside the perpetually underrated Tyler Boyd, Burrow has a nice arsenal with which to work, so long as he can stay upright.”
Two experts also tab Cincinnati’s draft class as the one that is about to be most impactful right away.
That includes Field Yates:
“Yates: Cincinnati Bengals. The selection of quarterback Joe Burrow certainly accounts for most of this, but it should come as no surprise if their top three selections — wide receiver Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson included — make substantial contributions right away. I really like their class.”
For Bengals fans, it’s probably nice to hear praise and accurate information from a national slant after a long offseason highlighted by speculation the Bengals wouldn’t even get Burrow.
With Burrow now leading the charge the perspective shifts to projections. And while most aren’t expecting more than a transitional year as the Bengals improve, it’s still hard to ignore just how well the offseason went and things look.
[vertical-gallery id=32154]