Quote:Fox Sports Ranking: 3rd

David Helman of Fox Sports has the Bengals slated at 3rd going into the 2023 NFL Season.
According to Helman, "Cincinnati has most of its core players returning and an abundance of cap space. This group should be right back in the thick of things."

Quote:ESPN Ranking: 4th

NFL Nation reporters have the Bengals ranked 4th for the start of the 2023 NFL Season.
Ben Baby of ESPN says, "Once Cincinnati locks in Burrow for the foreseeable future, the Bengals will get a better sense of what their salary-cap situation will look like for the next few years."

Quote:The Athletic Ranking: 2nd

Bo Wulf of The Athletic has the Bengals ranked 2nd for the start of the 2023 NFL Season.
Wulf is quoted saying, "They have the kind of quarterback who, as he said himself, keeps their Super Bowl window open as long as he's around."

Quote:NFL.com Ranking: 3rd

Dan Hanzus of NFL.com has the Bengals coming in at 3rd to start the 2023 NFL Season
Hanzus says, "Cincinnati's offseason is about finding out how to better position the team to finish the job."

Quote:Yahoo Sports Ranking: 3rd

Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports ranked the Bengals 3rd for the 2022 NFL Season.

Schwab writes "The Bengals are in great shape... There's no reason the Bengals can't get right back to the AFC championship game."

Quote:Sports Illustrated Ranking: 3rd

The MMQB Staff of Sports Illustrated ranked the Bengals 3rd in their 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

"The Bengals won eight straight games to close out the regular season and then knocked off the Bills in Buffalo. There was no Super Bowl losers' hangover for them, and we can look forward to many more showdowns between Mahomes and Joe Burrow."

Quote:SportsNaut Ranking: 3rd

Matt Johnson of SportsNaut ranked the Bengals 3rd in his 2023 NFL Power Rankings.
Johnson writes "Joe Burrow has elevated the Cincinnati Bengals franchise in a way that only seems comparable to what Tom Brady did for the New England Patriots.... The Bengals are a Super Bowl contender as long as Burrow is around.

(02-23-2023, 05:19 PM)ochocincos Wrote: As much as I want to say Top 3-5, we need to wait to see how FA and draft pan out first.
The Bengals have a lot of important positions to re-sign or replace this offseason, plus they desperately need some improvements on the OL.
If they can do all that, they're right up there with KC, BUF, PHI, and SF.

(02-24-2023, 01:49 PM)WHO DEY C85 Wrote: No disrespect intended.....but who gives a rip about Buffalo. KC, Philly and SF I'll agree with, but Buffalo and Josh have regressed IMO and I don't fear them at all. Maybe when Von Miller is back the D becomes more formidable but I have no worries about Buffalo

(02-23-2023, 05:19 PM)ochocincos Wrote: As much as I want to say Top 3-5, we need to wait to see how FA and draft pan out first.
The Bengals have a lot of important positions to re-sign or replace this offseason, plus they desperately need some improvements on the OL.
If they can do all that, they're right up there with KC, BUF, PHI, and SF.

(02-24-2023, 02:32 PM)casear2727 Wrote: We are in way better shape roster-wise (pre-FA) than PHI & SF, and on par with BUF, maybe a little worse than KC.

(02-24-2023, 02:19 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Buffalo has had double-digit wins 4 years in a row.
They've won 4 playoff games in that span.
They are still in that top tier of the AFC.
Their losses in the playoffs the past 3 years have been to the Chiefs and now Bengals.


If the Bengals actually do what we expect/hope them to do, I would put the Bengals ahead of the Bills.
However, there are quite a few starters that could potentially leave, and if they leave and the Bengals leave the OL in the state it's in, they drop in quality, and arguably below the Bills (again).

(02-24-2023, 03:31 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Care to explain?

SF only has Jimmie Ward and Mike McGlinchey really as impactful FAs.
Yes also Garoppolo, but their offense will probably be ok with Lance and Purdy.
They can for sure find an immediate starter at SS in place of Ward in the draft, and they could (try to) find a starter at RT in McGlinchey leaves.

PHI probably higher risk of being worse, as they have multiple DL and multiple OL to worry about.
But they'll also likely have Cam Jurgens slot in as new starting C (or OG) with Kelce/Seumalo departing.
They can get two DL and one IOL in the first 3 rounds that could likely keep them about as competitive as they were this past year.

(02-25-2023, 05:38 AM)casear2727 Wrote: In regards to to free agents leaving, yes SF > Us, easily. 

SF
Losing a good tackle is a huge hit.   
Ward is a hit, Top 6 safety.
Azeez Al-Shaair is an excellent player, would be like us losing Logan Wilson as to production.
Moseley is a solid cover guy that graded out higher than Chido on about same number of snaps.
Ebukam is the starting edge opposite of Bosa.

I dont see how anyone can compare our FA 4 starters to their list.  Not even close in my eyes.

I think we agree that the Eagles have a ton of quality players to deal with in free agency.

(02-25-2023, 07:10 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Is losing a good tackle worse than having no good tackles to lose?  

(02-25-2023, 03:35 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Love Burrow but our Defense needs to get a little respect. Love our Defense under Lou.

Man, they really love to only talk about the QB. But yeah, we are top 5 depending on how we attack the Tackle
position in FA and the Draft. Need to get the running game up to par with the passing game and need to bring back
Tee, Bell, Hurst, Apple, Perine and Flowers.

(02-25-2023, 07:19 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'm hoping they can bring Hurst back without breaking the bank. He's not Gronk, I get it. But he gets the job done we need him to do more often than not. Apple has taken a lot of crap on here. And some deservedly so, however. He's also made some pretty big plays and overall been a good addition to this team. And Perine again, yes he's not Barry Sanders. But it's guys like him that fill holes you can't really put a value on. 

Would love to them and Flowers back.

(02-23-2023, 05:10 PM)Sled21 Wrote: 10

(02-25-2023, 07:19 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'm hoping they can bring Hurst back without breaking the bank.

(02-27-2023, 11:51 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Winning teams need good role players that don't break the bank on the roster. I agree, I'd welcome him back if cost effective. If he wants big dollars, don't sign him.

(02-27-2023, 12:01 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I totally understand Hayden wanting a big contract, likely his last. But is the market truly there?

TE free agency and this draft class are both much better than last year.

Hayden will be 30 this upcoming season.

Stat-wise, he was very average, some would say below average.  23rd in total yards, very low in TDs, not great in YPC...  


I'm not sure who is paying big money for this?

(02-27-2023, 12:33 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's a complete waste of time to power rank before the draft/FA. Teams are going to look completely different in about a month.

We are losing literally 1/3 of our starters on defense at the moment. Apple, Pratt, Bates, Von Bell. Those are quality players, too.

We have some holes we need to fill.