The Cincinnati Bengals (4-9) are likely headed for a third-straight year of missing the playoffs, despite having one of the three best players in the game in Joe Burrow.
Zac Taylor naturally bears a good amount of the blame, as his staff has not gotten much out of the defense the last two seasons, and the offensive line has been near the bottom of the league for the majority of his tenure, even if it has stepped up this year.
Still, NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler aren’t confident that
Taylor will be relieved of his duties following the season.
When addressing potential head coach openings in the offseason, Graziano called the Bengals’ front office “unpredictable” and noted that Taylor still has a year left on his deal, hinting at the monetary hurdle Cincinnati would have to overcome. “So my guess is [Taylor] returns,” he said.
Fowler agreed with Graziano’s assessment and added that “Mike Brown operates a little differently — perhaps he lets Taylor coach out his contract that runs through 2026.”
A lot depends on how the Bengals finish. If they look like contenders with an emerging offensive line and a young defense that is figuring it out, Cincinnati management may be able to use that as an argument for giving Taylor one more shot with a healthy Burrow.
Up next, the Bengals take on the Baltimore Ravens at home and try to keep their AFC North division hopes alive.
Last time these two teams met, Burrow looked fantastic in his first game back from a turf toe injury. You can catch those highlights below:
