The Cincinnati Bengals boast a ton of question marks going into 2020.
Headling a long list? Joe Burrow’s pro development, a shaky offensive line, extensions for star players and signs of life from a younger coaching staff that struggled at times last year.
In a fun writing prompt over at Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox nailed down Burrow’s grappling with expectations as the team’s biggest potential distraction:
“Burrow cannot get discouraged if he struggles early in his NFL tenure. Neither can his coaching staff, teammates or the Bengals faithful. There’s a very real chance Cincinnati will again be one of the worst teams in the league, but that won’t mean Burrow is a bust.”
Fair point. And it’s an important one to remember — the Bengals face a tall task turning around from 2-14. Historically speaking, the rebound isn’t massive. Burrow is accustomed to winning pretty much wherever he goes, so keeping his confidence and overall mental makeup in the right place if rough sledding arises is a must.
That said, the performance of the coaching staff, offensive line and even contract situations with the likes of Joe Mixon and A.J. Green could end up being equally big talking points.
But there is something to keep in mind here — all these question marks and potential distractions explain why the organization so heavily focused on adding team captains and leaders in the draft and free agency — with Burrow sitting atop the list.
