The author argues that a Super Bowl rematch between the Rams and Bengals is the most compelling narrative for the upcoming season, despite the Bengals' recent struggles. While the Rams are seen as a likely contender, the Bengals' path back is more challenging, hampered by a poor defense and questions surrounding head coach Zac Taylor. However, the potential return of a healthy Joe Burrow, who has had MVP-caliber seasons and won Comeback Player of the Year twice, is the main reason to believe in a Bengals resurgence and a desirable rematch
Hello football friends, and welcome to the Thursday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! I hope you enjoy the next four days of your life, because starting Tuesday, football will be everywhere. That's July 28, and it's a magic date in the NFL this year because it's when 26 of the 32 teams report to training camp. The other six teams have either already started training camp ( Cardinals , Panthers ) or will be starting this weekend ( Rams , 49ers , Seahawks , Patriots ). That means all 32 teams will be in camp by Tuesday. This is the weekend to tell your family you love them and that you'll see them in February, but before you do, make sure you sign them up for this newsletter . Anyway, we've got a lot to get to today, so let's get to the rundown. If you're a Bears or Broncos fan who needs something to get mad about this weekend, Garrett Podell has you covered. Garrett put together a list of the most overrated quarterbacks in the NFL right now, and let's just say, there's a good chance that Garrett is going to be getting a lot of angry messages from fans in Denver and Chicago over the next few days. Let's check out the top two names on Garrett's list of overrated quarterbacks. OVERRATED If you want to see Podell's full list of overrated quarterbacks, you can do so here (in that same story, he also listed a few underrated quarterbacks, so be sure to check it out). There have been 191 first-round picks made so far this decade, and the only reason I know that is that Mike Renner decided to rank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM this week. This ranking starts with the 2020 NFL Draft and goes through the 2025 draft (Renner didn't include the 2026 draft since we haven't seen those players on the field yet). Let's take a look at the top five first-rounders since 2020: 1. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (No. 1 overall in 2020) 2. Patriots QB Drake Maye (Third overall in 2024) 3. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (22nd overall in 2020) 4. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20th overall in 2023) 5. Packers QB Jordan Love (26th overall in 2020) Six of the top 10 players came from the 2020 draft, so it's pretty clear that the first class of the decade was pretty strong. Now that you know the top first-rounders, let's check out the bottom five. 187. Colts QB Anthony Richardson (Fourth overall in 2023) 188. Titans OT Isaiah Wilson (29th overall in 2020) 189. Lions CB Jeff Okudah (Third overall in 2020) 190. Jets QB Zach Wilson (Second overall in 2021) 191. 49ers QB Trey Lance (Third overall in 2021) Wilson and Lance are likely going to go down as two of the biggest busts of all time. If you have some time to burn today, then I highly suggest you read Renner's full list of all 191 players here . With training camps kicking off around the NFL, Deebo Samuel still doesn't have a team to play for. The former Pro Bowler spent last season with the Commanders , but he's now a free agent. Samuel has hit the age (30) where most receivers start to slow down, but he doesn't think that's going to happen to him. As a matter of fact, Samuel seems to think he has a few years left in the tank. "I'm going on Year 8 … I still feel like I got a lot, at least like three, four good years left," Samuel said. With that in mind, Jordan Dajani decided to come up with a few potential landing spots for Samuel and here are two of his more intriguing options: Dajani came up with five landing spots, and you can see his full list here . With the reigning NFL MVP (Matthew Stafford) and the reigning defensive player of the year ( Myles Garrett ) on their team, the Rams are currently the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI. As a matter of fact, the Rams are an unprecedented favorite to win the Super Bowl this year. Let's check out the top five favorites along with their odds: 1. Rams (+550) 2. Bills (+1000) 3. Ravens (+1100) 4. Seahawks (+1200) T-5. Chiefs (+1600) T-5. Chargers (+1600) As you'll notice, the Rams are the only team this year with odds under +1000. Since the N
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Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here . Futures market bettors just can't resist the thought of Joe Burrow delivering a monster season. Joe Burrow is the most-bet MVP candidate by tickets and handle, creating a big liability. Bettors were all over Burrow last summer as well, but an injury cost him nine games. Only Chargers QB Justin Herbert is taking more money in the MVP market. As NFL training camps open this week, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is BetMGM's biggest liability in the MVP market, the same status he held last summer. Burrow's 2025 season was derailed by a turf toe injury that cost him nine games and any chance of winning the league's top individual award. Nearly a quarter of the handle last August was on the QB. Bettors love the talent. Burrow has thrown for over 4,000 yards three times in his career and has arguably the best receiver tandem in the league in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins . However, Burrow has only played 16 games or more in three of his six seasons. This year, bettors are hoping for a better return on their investment. Burrow, with odds of +1,000, is getting a market-high 13.9% of the tickets and 13.3% of the handle, second among listed candidates, in BetMGM's latest futures release. Only Justin Herbert, at 20% of the money, is attracting more handle than Burrow, but the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback comes with slightly lesser odds of +900 with 5.8% of the tickets. Market favorite Josh Allen is +600. The Buffalo Bills signal-caller is getting 5.2% of the bets and 4.4% of the handle. Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (+1,200) is receiving a notable 10.5% of the tickets and 8.7% of the money. Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is tied with Burrow on the odds list at +1,000, but coming off of a knee injury, the two-time MVP is only getting 5% of the tickets and 6% of the handle. Broncos passer Bo Nix has seen the most action among long shots of +3,000 or longer, getting 5.4% of the bets, but he's only taken 3.7% of the handle. No non-quarterbacks have reached 2% of the tickets or 1% of the money, but Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is the +750 odds leader to win Offensive Player of the Year, getting 12.6% of the tickets and 24% of the handle, the most of any player in the market. With A.J. Brown now in New England , Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith is BetMGM 's biggest liability to be named top offensive player. With enticing odds of +6,600, he's getting 6.5% of the bets and 6.3% of the handle. L.A. Rams pass-rusher Myles Garrett is the +400 favorite and commands the most tickets and money in the Defensive Player of the Year market, but Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is a bigger liability with odds of +800 and 13.9% of the bets and 16.1% of the handle. Mahomes (+185) is getting an incredible 48.1% of the money to win Comeback Player of the Year, but Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (+5,000) is BetMGM's biggest liability in the market. Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price is the most-bet player to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at +750, while his former Notre Dame teammate, Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, is the +300 favorite. Cardinals passer Carson Beck is the biggest liability with odds of +3,000. Bettors are all over Miami Dolphins linebacker Jacob Rodriguez to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year. He's getting 14% of the tickets and 19.2% of the handle, both most of any player, with odds of +2,000, while New York Jets pass rusher David Bailey is the +500 favorite. This article originally appeared on Covers.com , read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here . Futures market bettors just can’t resist the thought of Joe Burrow delivering a monster season. Joe Burrow is the most-bet MVP candidate by tickets and handle, creating a big liability. Bettors were all over Burrow last summer as well, but an injury cost him nine games. Only Chargers QB Justin Herbert is taking more money in the MVP market. As NFL training camps open this week, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is BetMGM’s biggest liability in the MVP market, the same status he held last summer. Burrow’s 2025 season was derailed by a turf toe injury that cost him nine games and any chance of winning the league’s top individual award. Nearly a quarter of the handle last August was on the QB. Bettors love the talent. Burrow has thrown for over 4,000 yards three times in his career and has arguably the best receiver tandem in the league in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins . However, Burrow has only played 16 games or more in three of his six seasons. This year, bettors are hoping for a better return on their investment. Burrow, with odds of +1,000, is getting a market-high 13.9% of the tickets and 13.3% of the handle, second among listed candidates, in BetMGM’s latest futures release. Only Justin Herbert, at 20% of the money, is attracting more handle than Burrow, but the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback comes with slightly lesser odds of +900 with 5.8% of the tickets. Market favorite Josh Allen is +600. The Buffalo Bills signal-caller is getting 5.2% of the bets and 4.4% of the handle. Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (+1,200) is receiving a notable 10.5% of the tickets and 8.7% of the money. Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is tied with Burrow on the odds list at +1,000, but coming off of a knee injury, the two-time MVP is only getting 5% of the tickets and 6% of the handle. Broncos passer Bo Nix has seen the most action among long shots of +3,000 or longer, getting 5.4% of the bets, but he’s only taken 3.7% of the handle. No non-quarterbacks have reached 2% of the tickets or 1% of the money, but Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is the +750 odds leader to win Offensive Player of the Year, getting 12.6% of the tickets and 24% of the handle, the most of any player in the market. With A.J. Brown now in New England , Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith is BetMGM ’s biggest liability to be named top offensive player. With enticing odds of +6,600, he’s getting 6.5% of the bets and 6.3% of the handle. L.A. Rams pass-rusher Myles Garrett is the +400 favorite and commands the most tickets and money in the Defensive Player of the Year market, but Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is a bigger liability with odds of +800 and 13.9% of the bets and 16.1% of the handle. Mahomes (+185) is getting an incredible 48.1% of the money to win Comeback Player of the Year, but Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (+5,000) is BetMGM’s biggest liability in the market. Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price is the most-bet player to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at +750, while his former Notre Dame teammate, Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, is the +300 favorite. Cardinals passer Carson Beck is the biggest liability with odds of +3,000. Bettors are all over Miami Dolphins linebacker Jacob Rodriguez to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s getting 14% of the tickets and 19.2% of the handle, both most of any player, with odds of +2,000, while New York Jets pass rusher David Bailey is the +500 favorite. This article originally appeared on Covers.com , read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos
Get the early 2026-27 NFL MVP odds as Josh Allen opens as the +650 favorite. See how Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow stack up for the league’s top individual honor
Wherever you place Joe Burrow among the best QBs in the NFL, there’s no denying he’s in the top five. Meanwhile, you can make a strong argument that his backup, Joe Flacco, is the best thrower of footballs coming off the bench. So it’s no surprise that CBS’ Jordan Dajani has the Bengals QB room as the second best in the NFL in his ranking of the five best and five worst QB situations . Here’s some of what he wrote about Burrow: When he remained healthy in 2024, the former No. 1 overall pick led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns while throwing just nine interceptions… Burrow is actually the only quarterback in NFL history to register a 100+ passer rating while making zero playoff starts in a three-season span. He’s also been the most-sacked quarterback (242) since entering the league in 2020, if we include sacks taken in the playoffs. Dajani then explained the value of Flacco, writing: The Bengals also have a former Super Bowl MVP and Comeback Player of the Year in their quarterback room, Joe Flacco — who made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last year. The 40-year-old was starting to look his age with the Browns at the start of 2025, but was rejuvenated by the trade to Cincinnati in October. In his second start with the Bengals, Flacco threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and registered his 30th career game-winning drive in an upset of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers . In Week 9, Flacco became the fifth player in NFL history to throw for 470 yards and four touchdowns while scoring 40 points … in a loss. The San Francisco 49ers won the top spot for QB rooms on account of starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones . Third place went to the Kansas City Chiefs , fourth place to the Los Angeles Rams , and fifth place to the Baltimore Ravens. Meanwhile, Dajani named the Cleveland Browns’ QB room the worst in the NFL on account of the “confusion and chaos” of having the $230 million man ( Deshaun Watson ) on the same roster as the somehow-Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders . The New York Jets were second worst, the Arizona Cardinals third worst, the Miami Dolphins fourth worst, and the Atlanta Falcons fifth worst
With 50 days until the 2026 NFL season begins, this article provides a comprehensive refresher on key events and storylines. It covers Super Bowl LXI being broadcast by ESPN for the first time, the game's placement on Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day weekend, and its venue at SoFi Stadium. The article also highlights a Week 1 rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, noting it's the third time in recent history that Super Bowl participants have met in the subsequent season opener. It briefly touches on the four teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl, mentioning the Detroit Lions' recent performance as the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed
A potential reunion between the Los Angeles Rams and Aaron Donald appears to be on pause. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed how the Rams are handling their pursuit of a Donald reunion on “Get Up.” “The Rams are giving him his space to make the decision on his own,” Schefter said. “They don’t want to say ‘We really want you back. Come back.’ And all of a sudden, midway through the season, he’s saying, ‘Why did I come back?” Schefter went on to say that Donald has been back at the Rams facility, training while trying to decide whether or not he wants to come out of retirement. “The Rams want him back, it’s an open invite,” Schefter said. “He has to sign off on coming back, and we’re waiting to hear whether he does.” Since the Rams traded for Myles Garret in a blockbuster deal that sent Jared Verse and three draft picks, including a 2027 first-round pick, rumors have been circulating on a potential reunion between the Rams and Donald. Once the trade became official, Donald started posting workout videos on social media accounts more frequently than usual and has also been seen participating in football drills. Of course, working out is a part of Donald’s identity. Since he retired from the NFL in 2023, Donald has still maintained his playing form and has frequently posted videos of himself working out from home. This past January, Donald made a TikTok that had over 3.6 million views of himself doing an insane workout. Before his retirement, Donald was considered one of the best defensive lineman to ever play in the NFL, having a total of 111 sacks and 260 hits on the quarterback. Donald is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018, 2020) and had his best season rushing the quarterback in 2018 when he had 20.5 sacks. The Rams would fall to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53. In 2022, the Rams won Super Bowl 56 over the Bengals , where Donald had an iconic third-down sack on Joe Burrow to lift the Rams to a 23-20 victory, becoming the second NFL team to win a Super Bowl in their host city
Hello football friends, and welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! After spending the past week on vacation, I'm back. And it's just in time, because the NFL is also back. Starting this week, the NFL is going into full training camp mode. Although we saw several teams have their rookies report to camp last week, the real stuff starts this week. Six teams will have their full roster in camp by the end of the week: the Cardinals (July 22), Panthers (July 22), Patriots (July 24), Seahawks (July 24), 49ers (July 25) and Rams (July 25). The 26 other teams report on July 28, so get ready for total chaos next Monday. Speaking of chaos, let's get to today's newsletter. As always, here's your reminder to tell your friends to sign up for the newsletter . Let's get to the rundown. Over the past month, we've ranked the top quarterbacks and the top duos in the NFL, and now we're going to take those two things one step farther by ranking the top offensive triplets. When you think of triplets in the NFL, the most famous trio was probably Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, who won three Super Bowls together with the Cowboys in the 1990s. Jerry Jones might not know how to build a Super Bowl-winning team anymore, but he does know how to find a set of triplets. Our triplet ranking consists of one quarterback, one running back and a pass-catcher from each team, and the Cowboys ranked in the top five on our list. So who has the best set of triplets in the NFL this year? Let's find out. 1. Bengals (QB Joe Burrow , RB Chase Brown , WR Ja'Marr Chase ) 2. Rams (QB Matthew Stafford , RB Kyren Williams , WR Puka Nacua ) 3. Lions (QB Jared Goff , RB Jahmyr Gibbs , WR Amon-Ra St. Brown ) 4. Ravens (QB Lamar Jackson , RB Derrick Henry , WR Zay Flowers ) 5. Cowboys (QB Dak Prescott , RB Javonte Williams , WR CeeDee Lamb ) Six NFL writers here at CBS Sports voted, and we ranked all 32 teams. If you want to see the breakdown of the vote or find out why the Bengals ended up on top, be sure to check out Jared Dubin's full story here . After an offseason of waiting, the NFL fun finally starts this week with several teams reporting to training camp. With camp getting underway, we thought now would be a good time to break down one key storyline for each team. Let's check out a few of the storylines (via Zach Pereles): If you want to know when your favorite team reports to training camp and see all 32 storylines to watch, we've got everything here . The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and if you don't have a good QB room, there's a good chance you're going to struggle. Jordan Dajani ranked the five worst QB situations in the NFL this year, and if your favorite team is on this list, I think it's safe to say you can probably go ahead and assume they're NOT going to win the Super Bowl . This ranking didn't just take into account each team's starter; it took into account every QB on the roster. So who has the worst QB room in the league? Let's find out. (And remember, being ranked at the top of this list isn't a good thing. That means you have the worst QB room.) 1. Browns ( Deshaun Watson , Shedeur Sanders , Dillon Gabriel , Taylen Green ). The Browns have owned the weirdest quarterback room in the NFL for years now. Deshaun Watson is still on the roster thanks to that five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal he signed in 2022. He owns the worst completion percentage, yards per attempt and TD-INT ratio in the NFL in the five years since one of the worst trades of all time. To make matters worse, Watson hasn't seen any NFL action since October 2024 after tearing the same Achilles twice. Will he be able to win the competition he's favored in? 2. Jets ( Geno Smith , Cade Klubnik , Bailey Zappe , Brady Cook ). Geno Smith is back in New York, and he actually became the first quarterback to return to his original draft team via trade since Fran Tarkenton in 1972, according to CBS Sports Research. However, Smith went fr
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Something NFL fans who have been paying attention to the league for awhile understand is that a roster is never truly finalized. Last year we saw the Cincinnati Bengals add offensive lineman Dalton Risner and tight end Noah Fant during training camp. Both players ended up playing a fair amount of snaps. Especially, Risner who — when reinserted into the offensive line with the return of Joe Burrow from his injury — helped turn the unit into one of the best pass blocking units to finish the season. The Bengals have a glaring hole at linebacker. Even if they believe in Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter as starters, they need some veteran depth in case of injuries. Fans will also fondly remember swapping center Billy Price for BJ Hill during this timeframe as well. We could see a defensive tackle sent off in a similar vein after the team added Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen . What move are you hoping to see the team make? Bengals still expected to make another signing in free agency Similar story at cornerback, where the Bengals don’t have a surefire starter in the slot yet. That doesn’t mean they go out and find a starter on the market, but Jalen Davis , Josh Newton and Ja’Sir Taylor will need to show the coaches that they don’t need to go add competition. Bengals Announce 2026 Training Camp Schedule Bengals Training Camp presented by Kettering Health will kick off on Wednesday, July 29 with the first of six practices open to the public, including a special Friday night practice in Paycor Stadium on Aug. 7. Four additional practices will be open exclusively to Season Ticket Members and Waitlist Members. Analyst Believes Joe Burrow Ranked ‘Too High’ on Latest Top 10 List Not everybody is thrilled about where Burrow landed on Fowler’s list, as former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck let it be known during an appearance on NFL Live Burrow is ranked way too high, citing Burrow’s inability to stay healthy during his six-year career. Joe Burrow attends FIFA World Cup final during New York City visit Bengals starting quarterback Joe Burrow attended the FIFA World Cup final match between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas has spent his first three seasons buried on a depth chart behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. While he's shown the occasional pop for fantasy, most notably as a red zone option in 2024, the insurmountable talent at the top of the room has him entering the final year of his rookie deal as little more than a role player. While dynasty managers with the luxury to do so should continue to hold him in hopes of finding greener pastures through free agency in 2027, Iosivas is not a player who should factor into 2026 redraft plans. Currently RotoBaller's WR91, the former sixth-round pick should be readily available on waiver wires should an unfortunate injury force him into a more consequential role
The home of Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was burglarized while he and his family were inside. Authorities are investigating whether this incident is connected to criminal groups that have targeted athletes in the past, similar to burglaries involving Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow in 2024
This article discusses the 2025 Buffalo Bills season and asks readers to vote for the play that best defined their win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was a high-scoring affair, with the Bills ultimately pulling ahead in the fourth quarter. Despite the Bengals struggling for much of the season and being without quarterback Joe Burrow for a significant portion, they put up a fight, especially after Burrow's return. The article details third-down conversion statistics for both teams, highlighting areas where each team succeeded and struggled
The Cincinnati Bengals have announced their theme games for the 2026 season, continuing popular fan engagement events like "Open in Orange," "Stripe the Jungle," and the "White Bengal" alternate uniform game to enhance the home-field advantage at Paycor Stadium
Merril Hoge, a former ESPN analyst and ex-NFL player, stated on Trey Wingo's podcast that Joe Burrow is the best quarterback in the NFL due to his accuracy, processing, and fundamental skills. Hoge argued that championships require more than just a great quarterback, citing the Bengals' lack of Super Bowl wins despite having Burrow
Rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild had an impressive first season for the Cincinnati Bengals, earning a starting spot and providing stability to the offensive line. His performance in both pass blocking and run blocking was statistically significant, suggesting he could be a long-term solution for the team
Joe Flacco, who took over for Joe Burrow on the Bengals, described a massive hit he took from Steelers' T.J. Watt during a 2026 game. Flacco used strong language to detail the hit, suggesting Watt intentionally took advantage of the opportunity
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti informed Joe Flacco that he will be inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor upon his retirement. Flacco, currently entering his 19th NFL season as the backup to Joe Burrow with the Bengals, is still actively playing
The Cincinnati Bengals have done a masterful job of building this offense. Part of that gets recognized as they get voted as having the No. 1 Triplets (quarterback, wide receiver and running back) in the NFL. It is safe to say that you can easily argue Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase as the best quarterback and wide receiver Duo in the NFL. Realistically, Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua are the only other pair that comes close. But Chase Brown proving he is a good quality running back gets Cincinnati vaulted to the top spot in this particular category. You could even make the argument that the Triplets tag is holding the Bengals back here. If it were simply the top three offensive players on the list Tee Higgins would take Brown’s place, and it is hard to assume voters would have a hard time determining who the top team would be then. How far ahead do you think the Bengals Triplets are from the rest of the NFL? 2026 NFL ‘Triplets’ rankings: Where every team’s QB, RB, pass catcher combo stands The Bengals are on top once again. They reclaimed the top spot in the rankings last year and received seven of the nine first-place votes this season. Burrow’s injury absence wasn’t enough to knock them off their perch, thanks in large part to his excellence but also the combination of him and Chase, and Brown’s emergence as a quality back in every situation except the one where Jake Browning is under center is also a contributor to the Bengals’ position at the top of the rankings. Netflix “Quarterback” Season Three Featuring Joe Flacco Now Streaming Quarterback give viewers exclusive, unprecedented access to four quarterbacks across the 2025 NFL season both on and off the field. This season features Flacco , Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield , Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels . Relive key moments from the season and get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes the QB position one of football’s toughest jobs. One Joe Burrow training camp tweak Bengals can actually afford to make now Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has had a rough go of it throughout his NFL career in training camp. He came off a devastating knee injury entering his second season. Another year, his appendix exploded. A tweaked calf hampered him on another occasion. Joe Flacco says TJ Watt’s penalized Bengals-Steelers hit had intention “Man, he f—ed me up,” Flacco said of Watt’s hit. “He knew what he was doing, too. He was like, ‘I’ve got a chance to hit him here. I’m gonna take full advantage. … But that’s football. That’s the Steelers defense.” Holes are being poked in one of Bengals’ marquee free-agent signings The Cincinnati Bengals have made plenty of waves this offseason, including a long-awaited major move to address their safety position. Two-time Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champ Bryan Cook , a Cincinnati native, is now rocking the Bengals stripes. Orlando Brown Jr.: I feel Bengals have the best pass protection unit in the NFL “I really think — and I say this confidently — I really feel like we got the best pass protection unit in the NFL,” Brown said. “There isn’t a lot of groups that could come do what we do on a week-to-week basis and have the success that we’ve had, especially with the circumstances.”
Defensive upgrades have been the main focus of the Bengals offseason, but they’ll need to remain a potent offensive team as well if they are going to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Part of that puzzle will be protecting quarterback Joe Burrow and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. thinks the team is ready to go on that front. Brown is one of five returning starters on the offensive line and he said during an appearance on the Locked on Bengals podcast that he believes the unit is as good as it gets when it comes to slowing down opposing pass rushers. “I really think — and I say this confidently — I really feel like we got the best pass protection unit in the NFL,” Brown said. “There isn’t a lot of groups that could come do what we do on a week-to-week basis and have the success that we’ve had, especially with the circumstances.” Playing with three different quarterbacks last season didn’t make life easier for the line, which explains Brown’s comment about the circumstances. The lack of a consistent run game was also an issue and an upgrade on that front would make it harder to find ways to slow down the Cincinnati offense in 2026
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
