Adam Schefter isn’t just pointing to a good season for the Bengals - he’s talking about a team that could crash back into the Super Bowl picture.
The ESPN insider, who has spent years breaking NFL news at a relentless pace, has also leaned more into his own opinions lately. And in a training-camp preview podcast covering all 32 teams, he didn’t hold back on Cincinnati.
“I really think they're poised to have a big year. I really do.
The schedule is so soft, and if Joe Burrow stays healthy - and he struggled to do that for a variety of reasons. A lot of it bad luck, a lot of it the protection the team has had of him.
But if they can just protect Joe Burrow and keep him healthy, they have revamped their defense. [...]
Put a lot of energy and resources into it. I think Cincinnati could get back to not only competing for a playoff spot, but make a legitimate Super Bowl run.
That’s how good I think this team can be.”
That’s a strong statement, but it lines up with what Cincinnati has done this offseason. The Bengals have poured resources into the defense, and Schefter clearly sees that as the piece that can lift the whole operation.
The additions fit what defensive coordinator Al Golden wants to do with his hybrid "Viper" role. Mafe and Howell can handle that job because they’re versatile enough to line up as edge defenders or function like base 4-3 defensive ends. Lawrence brings a different kind of impact altogether, drawing double teams at a huge rate and helping fix a run defense that finished 32nd in the league.
Schefter’s optimism comes with a big picture attached. He’s not just talking about a playoff push - he’s talking about a possible Super Bowl LVI rematch with the Rams at SoFi Stadium. And even though Los Angeles would be a brutal matchup, Cincinnati doesn’t have to worry about that until much later, if it gets there at all.
There is, however, a warning baked into Schefter’s take. If the Bengals stumble again in 2026, he says the conversation around Burrow changes fast.
“But if they are not [a good team], there’s going to be a lot of questions about Joe Burrow’s future if they struggle again. Because the losing will start wearing down on him, and we'll see how he responds. But it should be, I think, a big year for the Bengals.”
For now, though, the message is the one Bengals fans want to hear: Schefter thinks this team can be a real contender. With Burrow healthy, a better offensive line, Chase Brown leading a more efficient run game, and the defense getting major help, Cincinnati has the ingredients to matter in a big way.
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The bigger question is how much room there really is for another target to carve out a meaningful role. Andrei Iosivas has been working to hold his place in the rotation, while Mike Gesickis presence gives Joe Burrow yet another option in the middle of the field. If Young can translate his camp work into steady production, Cincinnati may end up with a deeper receiving group than many expected when camp opened. [Read more 🡒]