Cincinnati Bengals

5 Ways The Bengals Can Make It To Super Bowl LII

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:10 p.m. ET

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Every single Bengals fan has waited for that day when their favorite NFL team finally wins the Super Bowl.

Whether it’s the Browns or the Patriots, each team in the NFL wants to win the Super Bowl and hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Sadly, Bengals fans have yet to observe a Super Bowl win even while getting very close. After making the playoffs five out of the last six years and getting zero playoff wins hurts. But, it also gives you knowledge on how teams have won the big game.

The Bengals have struggled when it counted and don’t have a playoff win in the last 26 years. Although it will take tons of hard work and great coaching, Cincinnati has the potential to get back to their playoff caliber. There are different ways the Bengals can improve the roster before next season starts and finally win the Super Bowl.

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1. Get Consistency from the O-line

One of the main reasons Cincinnati had struggled on offense was due to the inconsistent play from the O-line. Whether it was the right tackle or the center spot, they couldn’t get any consistency from the line. Andy Dalton was sacked 41 times this year. That’s the most since his sophomore season and an outrageous amount The Bengals were ranked #7 in sacks allowed on the quarterback. Even with Dalton’s quick release ability, the O-line wasn’t able to hold their place which cost them some winnable games.

One option to look at to improve the O-line could be free agency. Some options include Sebastian Vollmer, Andre Smith, Joe Hawley, and others which could be a great help. Although there aren’t any big name linemen, Vollmer could end up being a nice bargain if Cincinnati is able to snatch him from New England. In addition to getting offensive line help, the Bengals will need to keep the core together by re-signing Andrew Whitworth and also Kevin Zeitler which may be difficult.

Another route the Bengals could go is through the draft. But, I wouldn’t prefer the Bengals to draft another lineman in the first round. I could see some great centers in the second round, including Ethan Pocic and also Pat Elfeire. If Zeitler leaves through free agency, the Bengals could be trading down or trading back into the first round to pick up a guard like Dan Feeney or Forrest Lamp. If Lamp is there in the 2nd round, I would take a look at him for sure.

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2. Fix Redzone Woes

The Bengals didn’t have a lot of trouble getting to the red zone. But, once there, they struggled due to Tyler Eifert being injured for most of the year. No one else was able to step up and make the big plays once there. When Eifert and Green were down, the Bengals had no one to target in the red zone. The offense ended up having to force the run with Jeremy Hill and end up getting nothing but a field goal.

If the Bengals want to contend next year, they will need more weapons and more options other than Eifert and Green in the red zone. Eifert is one of if not the best red zone target in the game. But, his inability to stay healthy has caused Cincinnati to be unable to rely on him. The NFL Draft is one way the Bengals could possibly upgrade the red zone weapons. There are a lot of good tight ends that could be found in the later rounds, such as Bucky Hodges or Evan Engram.

The Bengals front office could also look at wide receivers in the first round to put opposite of A.J. Green to create the ultimate deep threat duo with Mike Williams. Williams would come in and immediately be the #2 and be the future of the receiving corp. Green at #1, Williams as the #2 and Tyler Boyd in the slot would scare opponents.

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3. More Production from the D-Line

The Bengals had problems getting pressure on the quarterback and making run stopping plays. The D-line underperformed and did not have the usual production of the year prior. Michael Johnson is getting old and has not been producing the last couple of years. He’s being overpaid and should be cut or restructured for sure if the Bengals plan to shore up the defense.

Free agency could have some defensive end talent that the Bengals may be able to get some sort of help from. Players like Jason Pierre-Paul, Andre Branch, and Jabaal Sheard could contribute immediately. The Bengals could bring them in and they would make an impact at the opposite defensive end spot with Dunlap. If they were to bring them in for rotation with Michael Johnson, they would provide great production with fresh legs every time on the field.

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4. Fix the Kicker Issue for Good

The kicker position has been one of the main reasons for some losses this year. Mike Nugent missed critical extra points and Randy Bullock botched a game-winning field goal. The Bengals have gotten no consistency from the kicker position in the last 5 years or more. They’ve lost multiple games in the past due to the woes of that position and it needs to be addressed this year for a chance at the Super Bowl.

As a Bengals fan, I don’t want to cringe or look away, when my kicker is going out on the field for a chip shot. Looking through the free agent kickers this year, there are some decent options to choose from. If the Bengals are able to get Steven Hauschka or even Greg Zuerlein that would be great.

If the Bengals aren’t willing to spend a little more money on a kicker, a selection in the draft could be quite likely. One kicker that I wouldn’t mind the Bengals spending a 5th-6th rounder on would be Zane Gonzalez. He went 92% from all of his field goals and 7-9 on 50+ yarders for the ASU Sun Devils. Those are some great stats for a kicker and if he’s able to translate that to the NFL, the Bengals would be getting a steal and a bargain contract.

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5. Young Players Need to Mature

Cincinnati has gotten almost little to nothing out of young players they have drafted the last three years or so. They drafted Darqueze Dennard, Cedric Ogbuehi, and William Jackson III . Dennard has been injured for most of his career, Ogbuehi looked terrible at the right tackle spot and came back from injury. Jackson was injured for his whole rookie season.

Cincinnati has to eventually get some sort of production out of the younger guys. They’ll need them to grow up and become effective starters for the team’s success. The players that were once young are now old and close to hitting 30. The only way for the Bengals to get back to the playoffs would be the younger guys stepping up for the older guys. For example, the secondary is getting old and the younger players like Josh Shaw and Dennard need to shine. On the defensive line, players like Will Clarke and Marcus Hardison, will need to produce to keep the D-line going.

When drafting for the next season, the Bengals will need to get players that will be capable of making plays. There is no waiting anymore. It’s now or never for the Bengals. Andy Dalton is close to hitting 30 and A.J. Green is going to turn 29 in July. Each player in Day one and two of the draft should be able to become immediate starters. It’s not time to draft for the future…but for the present.