As the Cincinnati Bengals barrel toward the first pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the last thing on the minds of most is playoffs.
But who knows?
Projections and predictions don’t just stop for the 2020 season because free agency hasn’t even opened yet. And one set of bold predictions suggests the Bengals could be playoff-bound.
The note comes from The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia:
“Don’t stop reading — at least let me make the case! They draft Joe Burrow with the first pick. Given his excellent pocket feel, outstanding mental processing and uncanny accuracy, he steps in and looks better than most rookie QBs do. The Bengals bring back A.J. Green and already have Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon. They get 2019 first-round pick Jonah Williams, who was injured last season, back on the offensive line and make other upgrades there in the draft.”
The writeup goes on to note that the Bengals were 0-8 in one-possession games last year.
Statistically, the Bengals won’t fare so terribly in close games again and Zac Taylor’s second year should feature a more experienced coaching staff. All that, plus the addition of talent via free agency and the draft.
Will that be enough to make a playoff push? Let’s say probably not. But now is the time to let the optimism flow freely, especially after such a slog of a season.
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