When looking at each team’s five most important players, the Cincinnati Bengals very obviously sit high up the list right now.
That idea got some confirmation this week when ESPN’s Seth Walder decided to rank each NFL team’s “core,” slotting the Bengals second overall.
Walder had this to say about the core consisting of QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, DE Trey Hendrickson and OT Orlando Brown Jr.:
Burrow isn’t the second-best quarterback on this list, but an exceptional 1-2 punch at receiver, a high-end pass-rusher and a strong offensive tackle boosts the Bengals to first in the non-Mahomes division. Of the group, Hendrickson is perhaps most overlooked but is very deserving to be here, ranking fourth in pass rush win rate among edge rushers last season.
Maybe most notable of all about the team’s “core” players that rank them second here? The average age is just 25.6, with no other team in the top 10 at younger than a 26.8.
The Bengals could also have a leg up in keeping this core looking great. Hendrickson might be the oldest, but the team just used a first-round pick on Myles Murphy.
It’s a nice spot for the Bengals to sit, to say the least. The core is great and young, which provides the team ample chances to reinforce it and keep the contention window open as long as possible.
