CINCINNATI — Mock turtle soup was back on the menu.
You better believe it was Monday at Paul Brown Stadium where after a one-year COVID-19 induced absence, the Cincinnati Bengals held their annual preseason luncheon, which included coaches, coordinators, masks, vaccination cards and the owner’s favorite delicacy.
The soup and orange sherbet ice cream were not the occasion’s only familiar settings. For the fifth consecutive season, the Bengals are coming off a losing season, having gone 4-11-1 in 2020, which followed 2-14 in 2019, 6-10 in ‘18, 7-9 in ‘17 and 6-9-1 in ‘16. You get the picture.
“We have to give them hope,” said owner Mike Brown of the franchise’s long-suffering fans.
That hope centers around second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, the NFL’s overall No. 1 draft pick a year ago who impressed far and wide before succumbing to a torn ACL in the 10th game of his rookie campaign. Having aced his rapid rehab, Burrow is cleared for football activities again and, as Brown put it, “the key piece” to a Bengals breakthrough come September.
The ultimate responsibility, however, lies with Zac Taylor, the baby-faced 38-year-old heading into his third season as Cincinnati’s head coach. Taylor’s record after his two tries: 6-25-1.
“Extreme urgency,” was how the head coach described his mindset Monday. “We can’t waste a day.”
It’s the NFL, after all. Just look inside Cincinnati’s division, the AFC North, where the Baltimore Ravens have Lamar Jackson and a rock-ribbed defense, where the Cleveland Browns have finally hit on the right recipe where, as always, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three made the 2020 playoffs.
What are the 2021 Bengals? They should be improved. If healthy, Burrow is the real deal. And he has real weapons in running back Joe Mixon, wide receivers Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and rookie Ja’Marr Chase, the latter being the former Burrow teammate at LSU who Cincy grabbed with the No. 5 overall pick in last April’s NFL Draft.
Defensively, Brown uncharacteristically threw money at problems, signing free agent pass rusher Trey Hendrickson and awarding holdover end Sam Hubbard a four-year, $40 million contract extension. Free agent defensive backs Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie were brought in to shore up the back end.
The real question, however, is the unit blamed for putting Burrow on crutches a year ago. To that end, the Bengals signed starting right tackle Riley Reiff from the Vikings and drafted potential starting guard Jackson Carman out of Clemson in the second round. Maybe more important, longtime offensive line coach Frank Pollack was hired to lead the group.
“I think our offensive line is going to surprise people,” Brown said.
“I think we have a nice mix,” said player personnel chief Duke Tobin. “We have to find five guys who are playing together and are healthy. We need to stay healthy.”
ZAC TAYLOR ENTERING THIRD YEAR AS BENGALS COACH
Veterans were to report for camp Tuesday. The season opener is Sept. 12 versus Minnesota. And if the smart money says the Bengals are talented enough to elevate the win total — most over/unders land at 6.5 — the jury remains out on Taylor, who was the Los Angeles Rams’ quarterbacks coach before being tabbed by Brown to replace Marvin Lewis.
“He’s had a couple of years to get his feet on the ground,” the owner said Monday. “Three-fourths of the players are his players. This is his team now.”
“He’s resilient, smart, able to adapt,” Tobin said. “The past couple of years he’s been put in some tough situations for a young coach.”
The hope is at least one situation will be far easier to navigate. Brown reported that 90 percent of the Bengals are fully or on their way to being fully vaccinated. That’s a good sign.
“I’ve been around these players a long time,” Taylor said. “I think I’ve got great relationships with these guys. That’s all on paper, I know. You’ve got to go out and prove it, but I like our starting point.”
The end point remains the same. The bottom line is always the bottom line.
Said Brown, “It comes down to wins and losses.”
