NFL writer proclaims this Bengals' position group is the cream of the crop
There's one area of the Cincinnati Bengals that will always strike fear in the hearts of their opponents, their wide receiver group. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd give the Bengals as formidable a trio at wide receiver as there is in the NFL, plus the addition of Charlie Jones in the draft gave […]
There's one area of the Cincinnati Bengals that will always strike fear in the hearts of their opponents, their wide receiver group.
Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd give the Bengals as formidable a trio at wide receiver as there is in the NFL, plus the addition of Charlie Jones in the draft gave them another sneaky weapon to use.
Well, ESPN writer Mike Clay is certainly impressed with what the Bengals have in this area. He released a list of the top receiver units in the league, and the Bengals ranked as the top unit league-wide.
Chase may have only been in the league for two seasons, but the argument can be made that he's the best when he's on his game. As a rookie, Chase racked up 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns which led to a second-team All-Pro nod and Pro Bowl honors.
Last season Chase missed four games with a hip injury. Yet, he still had over 1,000 yards on 87 catches and added nine scores. The speed, route-running, versatility, and athleticism of Chase make him a nightmare to cover.
Higgins may be the second option in Cincinnati, but he's produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 13 touchdowns playing alongside Chase. With multiple 100-yard games and a 96-yard outing, the case can be argued that Higgins was the best Bengals' receiver during their run to the Super Bowl in 2021. At 6'4" with 34 1/8" arms, Higgins has a huge catch radius that makes things difficult for defenders.
Boyd was coming off of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons when Higgins came in 2020 and Chase a year afterward. Despite being the third guy in the rotation, Boyd has put up 2,431 yards and 19 touchdowns over the last three seasons, turning himself into one of the NFL's top slot threats.
Speaking of slot guys, Jones could be the Bengals' long-term solution if Boyd isn't brought next offseason (he will be an unrestricted free agent). Jones is a technical route-runner that is excellent in contested ball situations. Also, Jones has 4.43 speed and athleticism to give the Bengals another viable weapon once he develops.
Trenton Irwin has been with the Bengals since going undrafted in 2019. Last season, Irwin got his only two NFL starts, and he had success. He caught five of his six targets for 100 yards in those two games and scored a touchdown in each. This proved that Irwin can be a serviceable starter for the Bengals if need be.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has to come to work giddy daily knowing he has this kind of group to throw to.
