With training camp less than a week away, the Cincinnati Bengals are heading in with something they haven’t always had in recent seasons: a sense that the core is finally lined up around Joe Burrow.
The Bengals haven’t reached the NFL Playoffs since the 2022 season, when they advanced to the AFC Championship. A few different issues have knocked them off course since then, but this summer feels different because the biggest piece is in place. That piece is Burrow, the quarterback who has been the face of the franchise since Cincinnati took him first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
When Burrow is healthy, he’s been one of the league’s top quarterbacks. That’s the backdrop for a strong comparison Albert Breer recently made on NBC Sports Boston. The Sports Illustrated insider said Burrow is the closest thing the NFL has seen to Tom Brady.
"I think Burrow is the closest ascendant to Brady," said Breer. "Just as far as the way he plays in big games.
His play style. When he's be in there, he's been one of the best quarterbacks in football."
Any Brady comparison is going to turn heads, but Breer’s point lines up with the way Burrow has played at his best. In 2024, he was the best quarterback in the league, piling up numbers in nearly every major statistical category for the position. The only thing that kept him out of the MVP race was Cincinnati’s 9-8 finish and missed playoff berth.
That’s where the debate gets messy. Team success matters, but it wasn’t fair to pin the Bengals’ broader problems on Burrow when he was producing at an elite level.
The concern around Burrow has never really been about talent. It’s been about availability. Last season, turf toe kept him out for half the year, adding to the questions about his injury history.
Now 2026 is shaping up as another chance for Burrow to push back against the injury-prone label and remind everyone what he looks like when he’s on the field. In that sense, Breer’s Brady comparison lands for a reason.
In Other News...
This Bengals Rookie Could Change More Than Fans Realize At Camp
Colbie Young has barely gotten his footing in Bengals camp, but the rookie wideout is already part of a conversation Cincinnati has been trying to sort out behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The fourth-round pick arrived with a different kind of build and skill set than the receivers around him, and that alone has made him worth watching as the team starts to map out how its passing game might look once the top two options are accounted for.
The bigger question is how much room there really is for another pass catcher to carve out a real role. Andrei Iosivas has held the inside track in recent seasons, while Mike Gesicki has often functioned like a third wide receiver in the offense, giving Joe Burrow another steady target in the middle of the field. Young's camp performance will determine whether he can force his way into that mix and change the way Cincinnati distributes its snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Linked To A Surprising Next Step Fans Will Debate
The Bengals long playoff drought has already become a talking point inside the locker room, with Joe Burrow and JaMarr Chase both making clear they want the organization to move in a different direction. That frustration has only sharpened the scrutiny around Zac Taylor, whose future is starting to come up whenever Cincinnatis next step is discussed.
Nick Wright took that conversation in a far more unexpected direction on FS1s First Things First, tying the Bengals outlook to a coaching change that would send the fan base into a debate of its own. His scenario depends on Cincinnati missing the postseason again, and it reflects just how much pressure is building around a team that still has enough talent to expect more, but not enough recent results to quiet the questions. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Get Encouraging Sign In Crucial Battle Behind Ted Karras
The Bengals opened training camp with a little movement on the roster front, placing defensive lineman BJ Hill on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. But the more interesting development for Cincinnati may be happening on the offensive line, where the backup center job behind Ted Karras is already drawing attention as the team sorts through its rookie options.
Connor Lew is expected to start taking reps there, while Brian Parker has also been working at center after getting those looks during rookie minicamp. Parker will be in the mix for playing time once camp gets rolling, and for a Bengals team that values depth up front, the competition behind Karras is one of the quieter battles worth watching. [Read more 🡒]