2022 32 Teams/32 Days: Cincinnati Bengals

Hub:https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/shaqou/32_teams32_days_year_ten_call_for_writers/

 

Contributors

/u/ProfProfessorberg

/u/No_More_And_Then

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/u/Psychological-Play23

 

Division: AFC North

Record: 10-7

Result: Lost Super Bowl LVI vs Los Angeles Rams 23-20

Season Summary: Entering the season with little expectations following Burrow’s devastating knee injury as a rookie, the Bengals proceeded to shock the world and reach the Super Bowl, only to fall to the Rams in a devastatingly close loss. Once again the offensive line proved to be the team’s undoing.

 

1. 2021 Offseason Recap

2. Stats

3. Season Review

4. Offense/Defense/Special Teams Review

5. Coaching Review

6. 2022 Offseason

 

Editor's Note: This ended up being way more massive than intended! Unfortunately I had to break a bunch of sections into separate comments, noted at the end of the post. I hope you still enjoy the write-up and all the hard work that went into it. Huge shout out to the writing team listed at the top for all their help with it this year

 

2021 Offseason Recap

Notable FA Signings

Trey Hendrickson (4 years, $60 million)

A lot of people were upset with the Bengals for letting Carl Lawson walk in favor of Hendrickson, but it worked out excellently. Obviously, you cannot knock Lawson at all for a freak injury, but Hendrickson exceeded all expectations. He set a team record with 14 sacks and added another 3.5 in the playoffs. His motor set the tone for the entire defense and was vital for turning the unit into something that was respectable at the very least.

 

Chidobe Awuzie (3 years, $21.75 million)

Like Hendrickson, there was some apprehension in choosing to pay Awuzie instead of homegrown talent William Jackson III. But ultimately Jackson wanted more than the Bengals had him valued at (not to mention his not so fond feelings towards Bengals fans). Awuzie also fit the scheme better and ended up acquitting himself quite well as the team’s #1 corner, earning a nod from PFF as a second-team All-Pro.

 

Mike Hilton (4 years, $24 million)

Saving on Jackson in favor of Awuzie left enough in the Budget to bring aboard Hilton as the Bengals' slot CB, replacing Mackensie Alexander. And like Awuzie, Hilton excelled in the role. He also has been one of the best ambassadors for the team, lobbying players in free agency to join the team and advocating for the Bengals to extend Jessie Bates.

 

Larry Ogunjobi (1 year, $6.2 million)

Excellent addition, especially for the cost. The Bengals got 7 sacks for only $6.2 million, not a bad deal at all. He was set to get PAID by the Chicago Bears, but his lingering foot injury from the Wild Card win against the Raiders put the kibosh on that. He remains a FA.

 

Riley Reiff (1 year, $7.5 million)

Reiff played well, our best player at RT all season and our second-best on the line overall. Unfortunately, he missed five of the last six games and all of the playoffs with an injury.

 

Trades

BJ Hill

The rare player-for-player trade for the Bengals was a smashing success. The team traded failed center Billy Price to the Giants for Hill right before final roster cutdowns. He saw action in every game for Cincinnati in 2021, contributing 5.5 sacks. He was rewarded this offseason with a 3 year, $30 million deal ($13 million guaranteed).

 

Notable Departures

AJ Green (to Arizona, 1 year, $8 million)

After missing all of 2019 with a foot injury, Green returned in 2020 but never found rapport with Burrow, and watched Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd become the main weapons in the passing game. A parting of ways was beneficial for both sides, and Green landed in Arizona. Green seemed to find some new life as a Cardinal, racking up over 800 yards for the first time in 4 years, although there were some head-scratching moments like the final moments of the Green Bay-Arizona game.

 

Geno Atkins

After being such a stalwart for so long, the time had come for Atkins to go. Injuries and age had caught up to him, and the Bengals moved quickly to bring in Ogunjobi and later trade for BJ Hill. There was some idle talk about whether Atkins could be brought in as an emergency player after Ogunjobi and Mike Daniels all went down after the Wild Card round, but that never came to pass. The best defensive player of the decade for Cincinnati, he will surely join the Bengals Ring of Honor in the future.

 

Gio Bernard (to Tampa Bay, 1 year, $1,075,000)

The veteran running back asked for his release and got his wish, eventually settling in Tampa Bay to serve as the third-down pass-catching back behind Fournette and Ronald Jones. There were times when it would have been nice to have him instead of Perine (a better pass blocker and receiving option out of the backfield), but he left on good terms, and Bengals nation wished him nothing but the best. He recently signed once again with the Bucs. :3

 

Carl Lawson (to New York Jets, 3 years, $45,000,000)

A lot of people were dismayed that the front office let Lawson go; he was a homegrown player who had blossomed from being a fourth-round pick into a good pass rusher, a precious commodity in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Jets, Lawson tore his Achilles in August before ever seeing the field.

 

William Jackson III (to Washington, 3 years, $42 million)

Jackson never quite became the CB1 that the Bengals dreamed of, and he also soured on his time in Cincy, as evidenced by an interview where he took a shot at the Bengals fans. Jackson’s departure freed up money for the acquisitions of Awuzie and Hilton, who more than filled the void.

 

2021 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick 5: Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver, LSU

Sewell vs Chase was an intense debate this time last year. No longer is that the case. Despite the fact the Bengals are still seeking answers for their offensive line (and Sewell himself was awesome), Chase so far exceeded any expectations as to render a debate on his selection a futile exercise.

 

Round 2, Pick 46: Jackson Carman, Offensive Lineman, Clemson

As much as Ja’Marr Chase turned out to be a grand slam of a pick, Jackson Carman was a strikeout. After passing on Penei Sewell at the 5th pick, it was all but assured the Bengals’ selection in the 2nd would be on the offensive line. And boy, would it come with a lot of pressure. Joe Burrow’s knee injury from the previous season loomed large throughout the offseason, and many fans were troubled by the lack of moves by the team in free agency. The pick here needed to be able to help every bit as Ja’Marr Chase and Carman…didn’t.

 

Round 3, Pick 69(nice): Joseph Ossai, Defensive End, Texas

Unfortunately, the Bengals only got to see a taste of what Ossai could have brought to the defense. After getting five pressures and a sack on Tom Brady in preseason (against Tristan Wirfs!), Ossai was pulled after hurting his wrists. In a stunning turn of events, he was ruled out for the season days later for a meniscus injury that required surgery. There is a lot of hope that the small taste will lead to a big sophomore campaign to give the pass rush a jolt outside of Trey Hendrickson.

 

Round 4, Pick 111: Cameron Sample, Defensive End, TCU

Sample saw the most playing time among the four defensive linemen the Bengals took in the draft. He saw a healthy amount of snaps week to week until injuring his hamstring against the Ravens in week 15. He returned for the playoffs but missed the AFC Championship to a groin injury. He also missed week 9 due to a knee injury, so his injury status will be important to monitor going forward.

 

Round 4, Pick 122: Tyler Shelvin, Defensive Tackle, LSU

Shelvin had minimal impact as a rookie. He was inactive in all but three games, and the bulk of his snaps came in week 18 against the Browns when the Bengals were resting starters. He did see some snaps in the playoffs against the Titans and helped collapse the line on a key fourth and one against Derrick Henry. He was active again against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and gave fans another picture-perfect moment of carrying Burrow off the field, but was inactive again for the Super Bowl. He still has to prove himself, but hopefully, he can become a more impactful player on the interior defensive line rotation in year two.

 

Round 4, Pick 139: D’Ante Smith, Offensive Tackle, ECU

Smith barely saw action on the Bengals' woeful offensive line. He played in 2 games, starting 1 at right guard against the Lions. He unfortunately was placed on Injured Reserve for most of the season, although he made some appearances as the sixth lineman in heavy packages in the home stretch after he had recovered.

 

Round 5, Pick 149: Evan McPherson, Kicker, Florida

Easily the best pick not named Ja’Marr Chase, KickPherson had a record-setting rookie season of his own. He looks to have a long, prolific career in Cincinnati.

 

Round 6, Pick 190: Trey Hill, Center, Georgia

Hill earned himself the backup center spot when the team traded Billy Price right before the season. He started against the Los Angeles Chargers, when Hopkins was injured, and against the Cleveland Browns in week 18, since the Bengals rested almost all starters.

 

Round 6, Pick 202: Chris Evans, Running Back, Michigan

Evans mainly played Special Teams as a rookie. He ran as the third running back behind Mixon and Samaje Perine but did not factor into many games on offense.

 

Round 7, Pick 235: Wyatt Hubert, Defensive End, Kansas

Like Ossai, Hubert’s rookie season was unfortunately cut short by injury, as he tore his pec over the summer and never got to see game action for the team.

 

 

Stats

 

*league rank in parentheses

 

Team Stats

	Points	PPG	Total Yards	Passing Yards	Rushing Yards
Offense	311(29)	19.4(29)	6145(13)	4403(7)	1742(23)
Defense	424(22)	26.5(22)	5964(18)	4222(26)	1742(5)

 

Passing Breakdown

	Attempts	Passing Yards	TDs	Ints	Cmp %	Sacks
Offense	555(20)	4403(7)	36(7)	14(14)	69.2(2)	55(3)
Defense	626(28)	4222(26)	26(13)	13(15)	62.8(6)	42(11)

 

Rushing Breakdown

	Attempts	Rushing Yards	TDs	Y/A
Offense	436(19)	1742(23)	16(14)	4.0(26)
Defense	407(5)	1742(5)	15(14)	4.3(13)

 

Individual Leaders

Stat	Leader	Total
Passing Yards	Joe Burrow	4611
Passing TDs	Joe Burrow	34
Rushing Yards	Joe Mixon	1205
Rushing TDs	Joe Mixon	13
Receiving Yards	Ja’Marr Chase	1455
Receiving TDs	Ja’Marr Chase	13
Receptions	Ja’Marr Chase	81
Tackles	Logan Wilson	100
Sacks	Trey Hendrickson	14.0
Interceptions	Logan Wilson	4
Fumbles Forced	Vonn Bell	3

 

 

Season Review

Highs

Burrow’s game for the ages

Joe Burrow’s Week 16 performance was statistically the best performance by any quarterback in the league in 2021. Burrow shattered the Bengals’ single-game passing record, racking up 525 yards and four TDs to lead Cincinnati past Baltimore, 41-21. The Ravens simply had no answer for Burrow, who completed 37 passes on 46 attempts on his way to the fourth-most single-game passing yards in NFL history. On top of that, this performance marked a season sweep of both the Steelers and the Ravens.

 

Beating the Chiefs

Kansas City jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and stayed ahead by 14 for much of the first half, but the Bengals wouldn’t be denied their first AFC North championship in six years. Cincinnati held Patrick Mahomes’ offense to just 3 second-half points, and rookie kicker Evan McPherson came out to break a 31-31 tie as time expired. Merry Clinchmas.

Round 2 featured another nail-biting win for the Bengals, sealing a victory with yet another McPherson game-winner to clinch a trip to the Super Bowl.

 

YOU CAN WIN PLAYOFF GAMES???

This call will give Bengals fans chills for years. After 31! years, finally getting the weight of a playoff victory off the back of the team, the fans, and the city as a whole was magical. No outcome in the rest of the postseason could have taken that away.

 

Lows

Offense sputters vs. Bears

Joe Burrow got sacked five times and threw three interceptions on three consecutive attempts, and the Bengals failed to find the end zone until it was too late in a 20-17 road loss to Chicago in Week 2. Cincinnati only managed to muster three points on the team’s first nine offensive possessions. Burrow got the team back in striking position with touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

 

The Mike White Game

The Bengals were riding high on a 41-17 road victory over Baltimore. The Jets were limping into Week 8 without their starting quarterback. The trap was set. Despite leading by 10 at the end of the third quarter, the Bengals fell to the Mike White-led Gang Green, 34-31. So many small mistakes added up, and a late, terrible helmet-to-helmet penalty on Mike Hilton killed any chance of a final comeback. The loss killed the momentum the team was building and left a bad taste in fans’ mouths all year.

 

There are no Trophies for Second Place

Making the Super Bowl was an incredible feeling. But despite all the talk of the Bengals playing with "house money" all postseason, losing the Super Bowl sucks. Real bad.

 

Game Reviews

See full game recaps at this comment

 

 

Offense Review

Quarterbacks

#9 Joe Burrow

	Total	League Rank
Passing Yards	4611	6th
Pass Completion %	70.4%	1st
Passing TDs	34	8th
Interceptions	14	T-6th (most)
Yards Per Attempt	8.9	1st
Sacks Taken	51	1st

Coming off a season-ending and possibly career-altering knee injury suffered midway through the 2020-21 season, all eyes were on Burrow heading into the 2021 season. Burrow started the season ok, with some good and bad in the first three weeks, before showing what he was capable of in Week 4 against the Jaguars when he engineered a comeback after being down by 14 while showcasing the pocket presence and mobility he had been famous for in his LSU days. From then on, while there were some clunkers, Burrow began asserting himself and taking his place amongst the crowded room of highly talented quarterbacks around the league.

Let’s be clear; Burrow was not a model of consistency during the season, and not all of that can be placed on recovering from the knee injury. Even in the home stretch of the regular season, in 3 of his final 7 games, Burrow had less than 200 yards passing. But oh, there were some definite highs, so much more than the lows.

Whether it was torching the Ravens for 416 and 525 yards in two games, putting up 446 and 4 TDs in a vital win against the Chiefs, dragging the lifeless team to overtime with two high-difficulty passes against the 49ers, or pulling a Houdini and leaving Chris Jones gasping for air in the AFC Championship game, Burrow proved two things beyond a shadow of a doubt.

One, he had no problems with his surgically repaired knee.

Two, he was a franchise quarterback and a guy that can be the reason why you win games.

 

#8 Brandon Allen

Burrow’s backup thankfully had very little to do on the field this year, aside from some mop-up duty in blowouts (one way or another) and playing the final game of the season when virtually nothing of significance was up for grabs. Allen was re-signed to a one-year, 1.5m deal to maintain the backup QB spot.

 

Running Backs

#28 Joe Mixon

	Total	League Rank
Carries	292	3rd
Rushing Yards	1205	3rd
Yards Per Carry	4.1
Rushing Touchdowns	13	4th
Receptions	42
Receiving Yards	314
Receiving Touchdowns	3

After an injury cut short his 2020 season, Mixon recovered his form to set a career high in rushing yards, score oodles of touchdowns, and get his first Pro Bowl berth. Yet, for all the accumulated stats, Mixon was nevertheless deceptively prone to being shut down, as he had three games with less than 50 yards rushing and only had 3 100-yard games throughout the season.

In a way, the discussion surrounding the offensive line and protecting Burrow has a tendency to take away from the other part of the discussion involving offensive lines – run blocking. With the reinforcements received via free agency (Cappa, Karras, Collins), Mixon should have an easier time finding lanes next season.

 

#34 Samaje Perine

	Total
Carries	55
Rushing Yards	246
Yards Per Carry	4.5
Rushing Touchdowns	1
Receptions	27
Receiving Yards	196
Receiving Touchdowns	1

Perine served as the third-down back for the Bengals; his pass protection is highly regarded by the coaching staff for better or worse, which is why he spells Mixon on third downs. Perine served his role decently, if unspectacularly, for the most part, and scored a vital touchdown in the AFC Championship game that served as a jolt for the Bengals, leading to their comeback victory.

Unfortunately, the final memory of Perine this season was on the final drive of the Super Bowl, where Aaron Donald literally stopped him with one arm on 3rd and 1, and not making a dive to catch Burrow’s final desperation pass on 4th and 1. Those two plays colored a lot of fans’ lasting memories of Perine’s season, but that shouldn’t take away from what he quietly put together in his role over the course of the season.

 

#25 Chris Evans

	Total
Carries	17
Rushing Yards	77
Yards Per Carry	4.5
Rushing Touchdowns	0
Receptions	15
Receiving Yards	151
Receiving Touchdowns	2

There was some excitement around Evans as a possible pass-catching back in the preseason. A gorgeous TD catch against the Lions in Week 6 showed glimpses of that talent, but injuries, Mixon’s resurgence to being a Pro Bowl-caliber back, and the emergence of three highly talented wide receivers meant opportunities were scarce for “Captain America.” Still, he showed glimpses of ability and should compete with Perine for the RB2 spot.

 

Wide Receivers

#1 Ja’Marr Chase

	Total	League Rank
Receptions	81	20th
Receiving Yards	1,455	4th
Yards Per Reception	18.0	2nd
Yards After Catch	651	3rd
Receiving Touchdowns	13	3rd

Chase had a phenomenal start to his career, as he set the NFL rookie single-season receiving record (one-upping his college buddy Justin Jefferson), Bengals single-game receiving record (266), and Bengals single-season receiving record (1455, surpassing Chad Johnson).

Chase’s season was not without its downs as, after a torrid start with long TDs left and right, Chase suffered through a stretch where he managed 52 yards or less in 6 out of 7 games. This culminated in a 3-yard performance in Week 14 at Denver.

Of course, Chase turned it on again in the final weeks of the regular season as he ripped off two massive games against Baltimore and Kansas City. “Uno” kept it going in the postseason as he racked up 100+ yard games in his first two postseason starts, caught a vital game-tying TD in the AFC Championship Game, and got the better of Jalen Ramsey on several occasions in the Super Bowl.

In addition to being a lethal deep threat, Chase showed incredible intermediate route-running skills and displayed excellent physicality for a receiver on the shorter side. He did have a problem with drops, but even that can’t take away from what was an incredible rookie season. OROY, a Pro Bowl selection, and an All-Pro Second Team selection is one hell of a year, let alone a rookie year.

 

#85 Tee Higgins

	Total	League Rank
Receptions	74	T-29th
Receiving Yards	1,091	17th
Yards Per Reception	14.7	18th
Yards After Catch	290
Receiving Touchdowns	6	T-25th

After a slow start to the season due to the combination of a shoulder injury and Chase’s brilliance (although he did put up 60+ and a TD in each of his first two games), Higgins really stepped up as teams began keying on Chase, ripping off 4 100-yard performances in his last 6 regular-season games. After a quiet wild-card game, Higgins registered 96, 103, and 100 yards in the final three games of the postseason, as well as two touchdowns in the Super Bowl.

Playing the role of the big-bodied target opposite the speedy deep threat of Chase, Higgins broke the 1000-yard barrier after registering 909 yards in his rookie season. Higgins will be the 1B to Chase’s 1A for at least two years longer, and he’s good enough to be the WR1 for a good number of teams.

 

#83 Tyler Boyd

	Total	League Rank
Receptions	67	T-42nd
Receiving Yards	828	17th
Yards Per Reception	12.4	18th
Yards After Catch	389
Receiving Touchdowns	5	T-40th

The tough and reliable Boyd was the slot man for the Bengals’ passing attack, and Boyd showed that even with two dynamite receivers to the outside, he could be a more-than-solid contributor to the passing offense. His long touchdowns against the Broncos and the Ravens in the last part of the season, as well as his go-ahead touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 17, showcased his talents.

While not up to his career highs, Boyd contributed plenty to the Bengal offense and will continue his slot prowess for next season.

 

#19 Auden Tate

Tate had only 3 catches all season and suffered an injury in Week 7, where he caught his lone TD of the season. His 2019 mini breakout season is a distant memory at this point. His lack of speed and separation skills, as well as injuries, capped his development. A WR room that isn’t as crowded as the one in Cincinnati would be better for his career, and he has found one as he signed with the Falcons, a team in sore need of receivers. Best of luck to him.

 

#17 Stanley Morgan

A vital contributor on special teams, Morgan has done enough to earn a new 2-year contract exclusively based on his production in that role, as he has 5 receptions total over a 3-year career. Also contributes as a willing and capable blocking WR when the situation requires it.

 

#80 Mike Thomas

The primary WR4 after Tate’s injury, he is definitely no Slant Boy. Much like Morgan, Thomas is a good special teams contributor and was the only WR other than the Big 3 to have a recorded stat in the postseason. Has since been re-signed.

 

#11 Trent Taylor

After spending most of the season on the practice squad, Taylor was called up after punt returner and backup CB Darius Phillips muffed two punts in the loss against San Francisco. He provided a steady hand in that regard and made the most of his lone target as he caught a two-point conversion that tied the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs (supposedly, it was the only play in the playbook where he was the primary option). He has since been re-signed on a 1-year deal, and will be looking to solidify his hold on the returner spot.

 

Tight Ends

#87 CJ Uzomah

	Total
Receptions	49
Receiving Yards	493
Yards Per Carry	10.1
Receiving Touchdowns	5

After suffering a torn Achilles last year which ended his season after 2 games, Uzomah recovered and served as a steady safety valve option for the Bengals' passing attack. He racked up 4 of his 5 touchdowns in two games (two each against Jacksonville and Baltimore), and stepped up in the postseason by contributing over 60 yards in the first two games. Unfortunately, a knee injury knocked him out of the AFC Championship Game and rendered him a non-factor in the Super Bowl.

Uzomah’s 2021 season was his career-high in receptions, yards, and TDs. Going beyond stats, he’s a decent blocker and was an immensely vocal leader in the locker room; in the postgame locker room, it was Uzomah that had the final words in the group huddle and led the “Who Dey” chant to wrap up a game. Also has a flair for the dramatic, as can be seen by him screaming his lungs out while on crutches during the AFC Championship Game and hurling his knee brace to the delight of the crowd at the Super Bowl pep rally.

 

#89 Drew Sample

After getting a chance to become the starter in 2020 due to Uzomah’s injury, Sample was once again relegated to being the backup TE and brought in for heavy formations. Sample was a surprise pick at 52nd overall in the 2019 draft and so far has shown no real signs that the pick was a smart one. This upcoming season is the last year of his rookie contract and barring some incredible turnaround, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be a Bengal once that contract is done.

 

Offensive Line

#73 OT Jonah Williams

The former first-round pick posted his first full season of play after missing all of his rookie year and six games last season. Williams was a good, not great, left tackle, allowing eight sacks and committing four penalties, with a PFF grade of 77.1. There was speculation that if the Bengals could land a star left tackle in free agency (ex. Terron Armstead), Williams could be moved to RT, where he played well as a freshman at Alabama; however, with the Bengals landing La’El Collins, it looks likely that Williams will remain at LT in 2022. The Bengals are expected to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason.

 

#67 OG Quinton Spain

The perpetually chippy “Mr. Undrafted” was a find by the Bengals after his release from Buffalo, as he outperformed expectations in 2020 after being a street pickup. This led to a one-year deal where he solidified his place as the starting left guard. Spain was decent in his first full year with the team, posting a 72.3 PFF grade and allowing 5 sacks, but similar to Perine and Eli Apple, his final play in the Super Bowl – where Aaron Donald absolutely put a clown suit on Spain en route to pressuring Burrow on 4th down – colored his overall season accomplishment. A UFA at the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether a reunion with the Bengals is in the cards; if he’s willing to play on a cheap deal like the previous year ($1.2m) and fight to be the starting left guard, there are definitely worse options at that price.

 

#66 OC Trey Hopkins

Hopkins recovered from a torn ACL suffered in January 2021 in time to return for the regular-season opener. He missed one game mid-season due to COVID and sat out Week 18 alongside the rest of the starters. A solid starter in the 4 years prior (3 at center), Hopkins was mediocre this season, allowing four sacks and receiving a PFF grade of 51.4. When combined with the fact that his release frees up $6m in cap space, it was no surprise when Hopkins was released shortly after the FA signings of Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. Hopkins was well-liked in Cincinnati, and should he wish to do so, one would imagine that the door would be open for him to re-join on a smaller contract as a depth piece.

 

#79 OG Jackson Carman

While Carman played tackle at Clemson, he was projected as a guard in the NFL and expected to take over the right guard spot. However, he could not solidify his grip on the position; entering training camp with an injury certainly didn’t help matters. After starting five games in the first 8 weeks of the season, Carman found himself in a reserve/rotation role, unable to beat out the likes of Isaiah Prince and Hakeem Adeniji.

He did have some good moments, such as when he sprang Perine for the Chiefs TD with a good block, but the fact that he couldn’t grab hold of a starting spot on the Bengals O-Line is alarming. One can only hope that with a full training camp and a year of NFL experience under his belt, he can pull it together and make the LG position his; however, that currently seems a very optimistic view.

Of course, the salt in the wound is that at the end of the second round, the Chiefs selected Creed Humphrey. Sigh

 

#71 OT Riley Reiff

Reiff performed up to expectations, allowing four sacks in 12 games and receiving a 67.3 PFF grade. Unfortunately, Reiff suffered an ankle injury in Week 13, and the injury never fully healed, landing him on injured reserve. The whole offensive line Jenga tower began crumbling down shortly thereafter.

Reiff was a solid piece of business for the Bengals, and he was definitely missed in the postseason as Burrow took a boatload of sacks. With the addition of La’El Collins, Reiff’s future seems to lie elsewhere, or perhaps he hangs them up.

 

#75 OT Isaiah Prince

The swing tackle when both Williams and Reiff were healthy, Prince was pressed into the starting RT role when Reiff got hurt, and while he wasn’t a complete trainwreck, the line was noticeably worse with Prince instead of Reiff at RT.

 

#77 OG Hakeem Adeniji

Ideally, Adeniji should not have been the immediate backup at right guard; first plan was Carman, second plan was probably Xavier Su’a-Filo, but with Carman inconsistent and Su’a-Filo perpetually in the infirmary, Adeniji started at RG during the stretch run. The results were not pretty; a PFF grade of 43.7 and nine(!) sacks allowed shows that he was a sixth-rounder for a reason. With reinforcements coming in the form of Cappa, Karras, and possibly a new player in the draft, Adeniji will have to show massive improvement to see the field in 2022.

 

#63 OC/G Trey Hill

Hill managed to start three games but the data was inconclusive to say the least. With the addition of Cappa and Karras, Hill will probably be the flexible backup option at both center and guard, assuming that all goes according to expectations and he isn’t the starting left guard in 2022.

 

#70 OT D’Ante Smith

Smith was inactive for the majority of the season due to a meniscus injury suffered in October but eventually made his way onto the field in heavy formations as the 6th offensive lineman down the stretch run. The Bengals seem to be high on Smith’s potential, but his injury limited opportunities in his rookie season.

 

 

Special Teams Review

Kicker

#2 Evan McPherson

	Made/Attempted	Notes
20-29 yards	5/5
30-39 yards	8/8
40-49 yards	6/9
50+ yards	9/11	Most made in the NFL
Total	28/33, 84.8%	20th
Extra Points	46/48 (95.8%)	15th

An understated fact about the Bengals is that the kicking game has been mediocre at best for a long time. While two of our division rivals are blessed with incredibly reliable kickers (Justin Tucker for the Ravens, Chris Boswell for the Steelers), Cincinnati has not had the same luxury. Over the past 20 years, the kickers have been Shayne Graham (2003-2009), Mike Nugent (2010-2016), and Randy Bullock (2017-2020). Not exactly a rousing lineup.

To that end, the Bengals drafted Evan McPherson in the fifth round. The rookie displayed nerves of steel off the bat, as he hit a game-winner in his first regular-season game against the Vikings in Week 1, and recovered from a miss early in the Jacksonville game to nail the game-winner in Week 4. However, things were shaky after five weeks in total, as in addition to the missed 43-yarder against Jacksonville in Week 4, McPherson missed two field goals in that infamous kicking fiasco against Green Bay in Week 5. Through Week 5, McPherson was 5-for-8 in field goals – not the greatest start.

Starting in Week 6, McPherson buckled down and nailed 15 straight field goals (including a franchise-record 58-yarder at Denver) before finally missing in Week 13 against the Niners. He would have just one more miss the rest of the season, missing one against Baltimore in Week 15, and added another buzzer-beater in the most vital game of the regular season – the shootout against the Chiefs in Week 17.

In the postseason, McPherson took it to another level, going a perfect 14-for-14 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points, and nailed game-winners against the Titans in the divisional round and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. In the process, McPherson tied Adam Vinatieri’s record for most field goals in a single postseason. McPherson was one of the most important players in the Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl, no question.

“Money Mac” was also undaunted by the pressure of the postseason, evidenced by two incidents. First, Joe Burrow revealed postgame that before the game-winner against the Titans, McPherson took a practice swing and said “well, we’re going to the AFC Title game.” Second, McPherson was vibing with the halftime show at the Super Bowl, oblivious to the pressure of what might end up being the biggest game of his career.

Bengals fans have long known the perils that come with having a mediocre kicker; with how McPherson played his rookie season, the hope is that he is a mainstay of the organization for a long time. The Bengals have hit on a couple of fifth-rounders over the past 15 years, such as CJ Uzomah, Kevin Huber, Marvin Jones, and George Iloka; if Mac keeps this up, he might end up the best fifth-rounder in Bengals history.

 

Punter

#10 Kevin Huber

	Total
Punts	66
Yards	3062
Net Yards	2707
Longest Punt	61
Yards Per Punt	46.39
Net Yards Per Punt	41.02

In 2020, Huber had his best year in terms of yards per punt (47.18) and net yards per punt (42.82); while the 2021 season was not quite as good, Huber was still a solid punter, nestling in the middle of the pack. In addition, he was flawless in his role as the holder, which is definitely a plus.

For the first time in his career, Huber was on a one-year deal and is currently a free agent. Thus, there are rumors that 2021 might have been the end of the road for Huber in Cincinnati; the signing of Ohio State rookie Drue Chrisman to a futures contract also leads one to believe this may be the case. However, Huber has displayed a lot of affinity for the city and for the team, and it will be a sad day in the Jungle if Huber does not return.

 

Kick & Punt Returners

Now to the depressing part of the Bengals' special teams.

#23 Darius Phillips

	Total
Kick Returns	6
Kick Return Yards	169
Punt Returns	25
Punt Return Yards	177
Muffs	2

A backup cornerback and designated punt returner this season, Phillips was having a nondescript year until Week 13 against the Niners.

Phillips muffed two punts, both of which the 49ers recovered and set up scoring drives. Needless to say, Phillips was yanked as return man that game, with the sure-handed Tyler Boyd doing emergency duty as return man and Trent Taylor taking over punt return duties thereafter.

Phillips landed on IR following the game with a shoulder injury and was not seen again the rest of the season. It had not been a good season for Phillips even before the Niners game, as he was ranked 20th among 21 qualified punt returners in yards per return.

Out of contract at the end of the season, Phillips signed a one-year deal with Las Vegas.

 

#40 Brandon Wilson

	Total
Kick Returns	13
Kick Return Yards	291

A backup safety behind the first backup Ricardo Allen, Wilson’s main role was as the kickoff return man. He had carved out his role for two years prior, averaging 28.5 yards per kickoff return across 2019 and 2020, while also managing to return one kickoff each season for a touchdown.

However, the season wasn’t going as well in 2021, as he was averaging only 22.4 yards per return. Then, in Week 9 against the Browns, he fell awkwardly while being tackled and tore his ACL. Darius Phillips took over, but after Phillips had his issues mentioned above, Trent Taylor took over both kick and punt return duties. In Week 18, RB3 Chris Evans took over the role and held onto it throughout the postseason.

Wilson is contracted through 2022, so he’ll be looking to make a full recovery and duke it out with Evans and Taylor for the kickoff returner spot.

 

#25 Chris Evans

See the offense section for a more thorough breakdown on Evans. Evans was first pressed into kickoff returns in the meaningless Week 18 game and held onto the position throughout the postseason as the Bengals looked for ways to involve the rookie running back. With a year of experience under his belt and youth on his side, the job seems to be Evans’s to lose unless he beats out Perine for the RB2 position on the depth chart.

 

Long Snapper

#46 Clark Harris

One of the longest-tenured Bengals on the roster (only Huber has more Bengals tenure), the 14-year vet and graduate of Ted Nugent University has been a rock-solid presence as the designated long snapper since 2009. In his time with the Bengals, he has made 1876 snaps and has never recorded an “unplayable delivery.” McPherson may have gotten all the plaudits for his excellent work in the postseason, but Huber and Harris also played their parts flawlessly, showcasing the cohesion that signified the 2021 Bengals.

 

 

Defense Review

See defense review at this comment

 

Coaching Review

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2022 Offseason

See 2022 offseason at this comment