The Cincinnati Bengals hope they can follow closely to the Super Bowl blueprint written by the San Francisco 49ers.
But teams rarely go from worst to first in their divisions, let alone to the Super Bowl.
Still, it’s an interesting topic to think about now after San Francisco’s run. Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus ranked the eight last-place teams in order of which franchise has the best odds of finishing in first place next season — the Bengals finished dead last:
8. CINCINNATI BENGALS
There’s a good chance that the Bengals will be much improved in 2020, and that will revolve heavily on whether what we saw in Joe Burrow’s final season at LSU translates to the NFL level. There are still a lot of holes to fill on this roster, though, and the Bengals don’t have the resources of a team like the Dolphins to quickly improve this offseason. There wasn’t a single facet of the game — passing, pass-blocking, run-blocking, receiving, rushing, run defense, pass rush or coverage — in which the Bengals finished the 2019 season with an above-average team PFF grade.
There’s certainly a debate to be had here, especially with other teams like Washington, Carolina, the Chargers, Miami and Jacksonville facing new head coaches or questions at quarterback, if not both.
But at the same time, it sure doesn’t hurt to keep expectations in check. Joe Burrow could end up being an electric franchise passer, but that doesn’t mean it’ll happen right away, nor that it will be enough to spur a massive turnaround. This is especially the case in a tough AFC North.
That doesn’t mean don’t have faith, though. Jonah Williams will be back to hopefully stabilize the offensive line. The front office isn’t likely to botch the A.J. Green situation. Additions via free agency and the draft, as well as an inexperienced coaching staff from last year, should mean a bump in play and consistency.
Maybe the Bengals don’t go worst to first. But unlike every other team listed, they have massive hopes for the future built around the top overall selection in a draft class.
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