3 Biggest Offseason Questions Still Looming for the Cincinnati Bengals

With all 32 NFL teams preparing for OTAs and mandatory minicamps, Athlon Sports is going under the hood to see what key questions remain for each team before training camps open in July. These questions might not get answered at minicamps, but any opportunity for new coaches to get familiar with their roster, rookies to get a feel for life in the NFL and free agents to get comfortable with a new team can be helpful.

The focus today is on the Cincinnati Bengals, whoa re coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign that was scuttled by another significant injury to star quarterback Joe Burrow. They won just one of the nine games Burrow missed as the starter, finishing the year with a dismal 6-11 record. The defense continued to struggle for much of the year, thanks in large part to another devastating injury absence that limited pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to just seven games.

As they look ahead to the 2026 season, Burrow is back, Hendrickson is gone (signed by the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in free agency), the coaching staff is still in tact, and the offseason broughts some key new additions that should allow the Bengals to bounce back into the playoff picture. If they want that to happen, though, here are three big questions they'll have to answer:

Can Joe Burrow Stay Healthy?

This will always be the biggest question for the Bengals. Last season was the third time in his six-year career that Burrow has missed at least six games due to injury, and further proof that the team has no hope of contention if he's not taking the snaps. The offense is loaded with weapons, and there's no doubt about Burrow's talent, but none of that matters if he's not in the lineup.

The inconsistency of the offensive line has always been an issue, and the lack of reliable protection in the pocket has no doubt led to some of Burrow's injury issues. That unit will be counted on to keep Burrow clean this year, allowing him to take full advantage of his abilities, as well as the dynamic playmakers the Bengals have at the skill positions. As always, this team will go as Burrow goes, and they can't afford to have him on the sidelines for a significant chunk of yet another season.

How Will They Replace Trey Hendrickson's Impact?

Hendrickson has been one of the NFL's most productive edge rushers for quite a while now, but the Bengals were unable to get him secured with a long-term contract extension. He played last season on a one-year deal, but was limited to just seven games due to injury. Hendrickson left in free agency, signing a massive contract in Baltimore, where he'll get to see his former team twice a year.

To replace him, the Bengals threw some big money at Boye Mafe in free agency, and spent their second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Texas A&M's Cashius Howell. Shemar Stewart, the Bengals' first-round pick in 2025, is expected to make a significant leap in his season season, and there's still hope that 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy can finally live up to his draft slot. The interior will also get an added boost after the Bengals opted to trade the No. 10 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, one of the league's best pass-rushing nose tackles. Hendrickson's shoes will be difficult to fill, but the Bengals are hoping they can replace his production and impact in the aggregate with that group.

Will Zac Taylor Evolve as a Play-Caller?

One of the biggest criticisms of Taylor from Bengals fans has been a lack of innovation and creativity in terms of scheme and play-calling on offense, with many wondering whether or not he's maximizing the ridiculous amount of talent the team has on that side of the ball. With Burrow under center, Chase Brown in the backfield, and arguably the NFL's best wide receiver tandem in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it shouldn't be difficult for this offense to consistently light up the scoreboard.

If the Bengals want to return to playoff contention this season, they could benefit from Taylor expanding his horizons as a play-caller, instead of falling into the same predictable patterns we've come to expect from him in certain downs and distances. If he can get more creative in that area, this offense could be even more dangerous as their talented playmakers are schemed into success instead of just relying on their pure physical abilities to win every rep.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 7:01 AM.