Bengals' future at running back, tight end wide open
Out with the old, and in with the new for Cincinnati.
The overhaul is upon us.
Running back and tight end were two positions to observe for the Cincinnati Bengals as free agency opens.
And before legal tampering concludes, the Bengals have watched a player from each position leave for multi-year deals.
With news of running back Samaje Perine going to the Denver Broncos on a two-year, $7.5 million deal, the Cincinnati Bengals have said goodbye to half of their halfback tandem they've kept together for nearly four years.
The other half, Joe Mixon, may be right behind his former collegiate teammate. Mixon has been the subject of cap casualty rumors for the better part of a month, and rumors of interest in free agent RB Jamaal Williams only add more credibility to that noise.
Cincinnati hasn't selected a running back before the fourth round of the NFL Draft since Mixon in 2017. It's no coincidence they reportedly met with some of the top position's top prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The combine is also where the team spent time with basically every major tight end in the draft, including local favorite Michael Mayer. It doesn't take a genius to see the writing on the wall with that one.
Throw in tight end Hayden Hurst taking a three-year deal from the Carolina Panthers to go join Vonn Bell, and everything is crystal clear now.
The Bengals have a franchise quarterback and two cornerstone pieces at wide receiver. The goal is to supplement Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase with better pieces surrounding them.
Think back to Super Bowl LVI. The last play for Burrow ended with Aaron Donald throwing him to the ground as he tossed a desperation pass in the flats. The sight of Donald beating the Bengals' interior offensive line for most of the second half stuck in the Bengals' minds entering the offseason, and sure enough, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras were signed immediately in free agency.
Offensive line struggles plagued the Bengals in their latest playoff exit as well, but injuries were the biggest cause to that. Cincinnati's 23-20 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game featured Chase and Higgins carrying the entire load of the offense, which sputtered for most of the outing.
Kansas City's defensive plan became easy when Tyler Boyd exited the game early; doubling the two perimeter threats while forcing the tight ends and running backs to get open and create yardage after the catch.
It worked really well for the eventual Super Bowl champs.
Perine ended up with four yards on three receptions, which seems impossible. Hurst had 37 yards on four receptions and dropped a perfect pass from Burrow in the end zone. Boyd's replacement in the slot, Trenton Irwin, failed to get open for most of the game and ended up with six yards on two receptions.
When the ball wasn't going to Chase or Higgins, the Chiefs celebrated, and rightfully so.
The stark difference in yards after catch for the game is notable. The Chiefs got 155 from their main four of Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Isiah Pacheco. The Bengals had 119 in total.
Defenses aren't going to stop trying to force the Bengals from beating them underneath. It's up to the offense to capitalize on those looks and turn small plays into big ones.
Protection issues will be a thing until they aren't for Cincinnati, but at least four competent o-line starters will return next year. There's a definite question at right tackle, and the odds point to the club addressing it in some capacity.
But why should that problem stop at the line?
The Bengals can easily upgrade their pass protection at running back and tight end. It's the reason why Mixon barely saw the field in the last game of the season. Mixon has always been a liability picking up blitzers. That's not going to fly in an offense who's strength is passing. Hurst didn't add much either in this area, and none of his former teammates at the position can say the same.
As free agency officially opens this afternoon, the Bengals will continue looking at the right replacements at both position groups. Expect a veteran to be signed at each spot, and the NFL Draft to provide further depth that eventually turns into future starters.
A literal ton of money is about to be thrown in the direction of Burrow, Higgins, and Chase over the next 18 months. Now's the time to properly build around them.
