ESPN analyst questions if Bengals' most important offseason addition will be enough to spark a successful season

Recent years have seen the Cincinnati Bengals make trajectory-altering free agent signings and draft picks. DJ Reader, Tee Higgins, Trey Hendrickson, Ja'Marr Chase, this guy named Joe Burrow all come to mind. 

The 2025 Bengals won't be viewed in that light. Roster turnover did occur to a minor degree, but coaching changes will define how the upcoming season unfolds.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden happens to be the new coach in Cincinnati, and even if he's not completely new, how he performs in his role will greatly impact whether or not the Bengals go far this year.  

And that's not for everyone to believe in immediately.

Golden, who was the team's linebackers coach from 2020-21, is well underway implementing new schemes, terminology, and focal points for a defense that doesn't look much different in terms of personnel. 

Contrasting approaches were definitely needed for the Bengals' defense, but the lack of roster change is why ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak isn't quite ready to buy Golden turning the unit into a competent one just yet.

Imagine last season's Bengals with a league-average defense. That's not just a playoff team. That's a team that could have beaten the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs or any other AFC contender in any playoff environment. The Bengals' defensive depth chart remains a substantial impediment to their ascension to league average, but outgoing coordinator Lou Anarumo ran a system renowned for its complexity and need for quality communication, something that many young defenders in Cincinnati struggled to grasp. Could Golden, who just worked with young players for three years at Notre Dame, offer a quick boost to early draft picks like Dax Hill or Myles Murphy by simplifying their roles? I'm not betting on a big leap in the Bengals' defense, but it is at least in the cards. - ESPN's Ben Solak

Taking last year's offense and pairing with an improved defense, like Solak laid out, is a recipe for success. But he's not the only one who needs to see Cincinnati's vision actually work before believing in it.

With so many young players still under contract on that side of the ball, the Bengals are attempting to maximize the talent they have with a different coordinator running the show. Most players who weren't effective enough last year are getting another chance to improve and put their stamp on the unit.

For a team looking to make it back to the postseason and then some, it's a gamble no matter how you try to look at it. The best way to instill belief is to simply make it all work.