As the Cincinnati Bengals gear up for training camp, this is prime time for the preseason rankings to start flying around. Quarterback rankings, power rankings and overrated/underrated lists usually pop up in mid-July.
This year is no different, as Mike Jones of The Athletic released his list
of overrated and underrated teams, and he has the Bengals listed as overrated.“Cincinnati boasts a great offensive trio in Joe Burrow and his recently handsomely compensated receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
But winning meaningful games in this league requires a strong defense, and that’s where the questions begin for Cincinnati,” Jones said.
Nothing groundbreaking there. We all know the Bengals have the firepower to be the best offense in the NFL, but the defense needs some work to rebound from the disaster that was the 2024 campaign.
Jones highlighted their contract disputes with two defensive ends as another cause for concern.
“Things had grown stale under coordinator Lou Anarumo, so the Bengals fired him and replaced him with Al Golden. The team remains at odds, however, with veteran pass rusher Trey Hendrickson and first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who has yet to sign his contract because of concerns about a clause that could void future guarantees. It remains to be seen when/if the Bengals can resolve either matter and position their defense for improvement,” wrote Jones.
There will be plenty of doubt surrounding the 2025 Bengals, but the good news is, all they have to do to quiet that is win football games, starting with Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.
So, what say you? Are the Bengals overrated, underrated, or just right? Let us know in the comments!
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