By Liam Sullivan
TAMPA, FL- The Cincinnati Bengals finished with the fourth-worst record in the NFL last season, with a 4-11-1 record. Before LSU Rookie Joe Burrow got hurt, he was having a pretty good year. Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon, running back, had a good season until he injured his foot in Week 6, on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. Clemson Rookie Tee Higgins had an excellent season for a rookie with 66 receptions for 900 yards, with six touchdowns.
On the defensive side, it was a pretty bad performance. However, there are future stars in Wake Forest rookie Jesse Bates and Ohio State product Vonn Bell.
Zac Taylor is in his third year at the coaching helm of this team. Taylor improved from his 2019 season to 2020 from a two-win season to four wins. With Burrow and Higgins on the team, fans wanted to see a better improvement. The playoffs are not expected for this organization, but they would like to see a winning season. Some say that Taylor can expect to be fired if he does not have a winning season.
This year, the Bengals look to open up the preseason in Tampa, Florida, against the championship defending Buccaneers. Mike Brown’s organization hopes to present its newly drafted players on the field against the Glazer Family.
Brandon Allen is expected to get the start against Florida rookie Kyle Trask. Allen is expected to have a rotating backfield of Trayveon Williams and Samaje Perine. He is expected to throw to newly drafted Wide Receiver and LSU Product Ja’Marr Chase, Florida State product Auden Tate, and sixth-year Veteran from Southern Miss Mike Thomas, all of whom play for Troy Walters. Potentially blocking and receiving for the Bengals will be a third-year player from Washington, Drew Sample, coached by James Casey. Jackson Carman, D’Ante Smith, and Trey Hill will hold Frank Pollack’s lineup. Evan McPherson will hope to make Darrin Simmons’ Special Teams unit.
For Staten Island, NY., Native and Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Bengals hope to display some of their newly drafted players on the defensive side of the ball. On Marion Hobby’s defensive line will be players like Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, Tyler Shelvin, and Wyatt Hubert. In the defensive backfield will be Jesse Bates and Vonn Bell at safety, playing for Robert Livingston, and Trae Waynes and Mike Hilton at corner, playing for Steve Jackson.
When I asked Reed Burton, in Arlington, NY., a Bengals fan, about why he is excited about this season, he said this: “I want to see how Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow play together.”
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