The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a disappointing season, finishing with a 9-8 record despite having one of the best offenses in football. Quarterback Joe Burrow finished fourth in the MVP race and had the best season of his career. Also, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase won the triple crown and got himself a lucrative extension worth $161 million. But the individual awards only mean so much to a player; at some point, they want to win games and championships. That is Chase's sole focus for the 2025 season.
According to Dan Hoard, Chase said, “Winning a championship. That’s all I can think about. I wanna win. That’s why I’m here.”
Chase and the Bengals had a taste of the Super Bowl back in the 2021-22 season, when they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. When you have an elite offense, you have a shot at the Super Bowl every season. What has held the Bengals back in recent seasons is their struggles on defense. Last season, Cincinnati was 25th in the NFL in opponent points per game, allowing 25.5. The Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and replaced him with former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to address the team's defensive woes. But, all that will likely matter is if the Bengals have the right players on the field.
The Bengals are still disputing contracts with two big-name defensive players, Trey Hendrickson and first-round pick Shemar Stewart. Hendrickson wants to be paid like one of the top pass rushers in football, and Stewart wants a basic rookie contract without any added clauses. The status of both players for training camp and the regular season remains uncertain, pending the outcome of their contract disputes.
If the Bengals are serious about winning as much as Chase is, the team should do whatever is necessary to make sure their best players are happy and on the field come training camp.