3 Scary Realizations About the 2025 Cincinnati Bengals

3 Scary Realizations About the 2025 Cincinnati Bengals

The Defense Is So Far Away

This defense is currently constructed poorly, and de facto General Manager Duke Tobin has drafted poorly on this side of the ball since 2022. There are so many deficiencies at every position, and it would take at least two years to rebuild, if only through the draft. The Bengals are going to have to go the route of 2020 and 2021, when they dipped big into free agency, signing players like Vonn Bell, Trey Hendrickson, and DJ Reader to bolster a defense that can be competitive enough to win the division and beyond.

Joe Burrow Isn’t Getting Any Younger

It remains to be seen if Burrow will play in 2025. It will largely depend on how the team does heading into December, and even then, it might not be a slam dunk. The simple fact remains that Burrow will be 30 years old next season, and he has spent half of his time in the league suffering devastating injuries. He needs more help from the powers that be and the coaching staff to protect him from himself. If that means tweaking the offense, so be it; he stands a better chance to survive a 17-game season.

Behind the scenes, it’s also fair to wonder how Burrow feels about head coach Zac Taylor. He has always publicly supported him, but the last two seasons have put some of this in doubt.

Zac Taylor’s Seat Is Warm

Let’s preface this by stating that Mike Brown is the most patient owner in professional sports. He let Marvin Lewis overstay his welcome by many years, lasting 16 in all. Taylor is signed through 2026, and Brown isn’t in the paying people not to work business. Ownership also treats coaches and staff like family, so it would be somewhat of a surprise if the Bengals parted ways with Zac and the end of the year.

The tide may be turning, though, and the front office will not be happy with missing the playoffs again, with or without Burrow. They have season ticket holders reportingly dropping like flies, and it will only get worse if the losses pile up. Brown and his family will ultimately do what they do every year: following the season, they will meet and discuss players, coaches, and the future. However, in the present, the crystal ball is cloudy not only for Taylor but the long-term success of the franchise.