The “New Dey” suggested by the team last year really starts for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020.
A long-planned roster overhaul and the arrival of Joe Burrow should coincide with some key bounce-back performances for big names.
These players feel poised for a rebound in better circumstances.
John Ross
Ross was briefly a shocking standout for the Bengals last year when Zac Taylor’s coaching staff let him work through mistakes. He led the NFL in receiving at one point and finished with 506 yards and three scores.
Still, Ross technically regressed last year, playing in just eight games after 13 in 2018. His three scores were down from the seven in 2018.
But a combination of better quarterback play and the developmental reps he got over eight games last year could lead to a major rebound. This is provided Ross can find a better rapport with Burrow than he did with Andy Dalton, but permission from the coaching staff to learn and surrounding pieces like A.J. Green could mean Ross starts to re-write the narrative.
William Jackson
Jackson was one of the many players to flop last year while struggling with the transition to a new coaching staff.
Case in point, his 73.4 PFF grade in 2018 turned into a 53.6 in 2019.
There are some silver linings. Jackson has coughed up 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons but he’s done so on 67-plus targets in each season while never allowing better than a 58.2 completion percentage. He’s still incredibly talented with No. 1 upside and another year in Lou Anarumo’s system while pieces in front of him improve could lead to a big rebound.
Jessie Bates
Bates followed the same path as Jackson. A 79.9 PFF grade in 2018 for a seemingly rising star safety turned into a 59.7 under the new coaching staff. After allowing just one touchdown in 2018, Bates coughed up four in 2019, while his missed tackle percentage ballooned from 8.3 to 14.5 percent.
But plenty of hope remains. Bates is still a ball-hawking presence and the hope is another year in the system plus the addition of better linebackers and safeties who fill other roles — such as Vonn Bell — can let Bates really focus on where he excels.
A.J. Green
Onlookers had to know this was coming.
Green missed all of last year with the injury suffered on the first day of camp. He played in just nine games in 2018, though he put up a healthy 694 yards and six scores on a 15.1 average in the process.
Now Green returns presumably healthy and technically on a contract year again with the potential for improved quarterback play under center. Turning 32 in July, Green can still be the guy who put up 1,000-plus yards in every season he didn’t miss more than three games. He can potentially still be the guy who has posted double-digit touchdowns three times.
An innovative offense, elite quarterback prospect and strong cast of other weapons — all in a contract year — prime Green for a massive bounceback.
