Following Cincinnati Bengals director of personnel Duke Tobin’s decision to bring the band back together, happiness seems restored in the jungle — or is it?
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have signed new deals to remain with Joe Burrow for at least four more years. The $276 million invested in the two wideouts raises the question of whether the team can still afford 2024 Defensive Player of the Year nominee Trey Hendrickson. With Burrow playing a significant role in pushing for his favorite targets to return, does the pressure now shift onto him to deliver?
Mixed Opinions on Whether Burrow Should Feel Pressure
The Bengals’ high-powered offense would have looked much different if either No. 1 (Chase) or No. 5 (Higgins) had left. Now that they’re back, the expectation is clear: return to the Super Bowl. But who bears that responsibility? Some believe it falls squarely on the man leading the offense.
"If this ends up being a situation where the offense continues to roll and the defense continues to suffer, and the results on the field aren't any better — we are going to look at Joe Burrow squarely." @msmallmon https://t.co/pi22KD2rpj pic.twitter.com/W7uKrvWWvx
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) March 17, 2025
During an “Unsportsmanlike” segment, Michelle Smallmon explained why the LSU product must deliver now that his weapons are locked in.
“You go out there and you very publicly campaign for your guys to get paid, and two of the three of them have,” Smallmon said. “If this ends up being a situation where the offense continues to roll and the defense continues to suffer, and the results on the field aren’t any better—where you’re not making the playoffs, or you’re barely making the playoffs and having an early exit—we are looking at Joe Burrow, squarely.”
Meanwhile, members of Fox Sports’ “The Facility” also debated whether Burrow should feel added pressure, with former players Emmanuel Acho and Chase Daniel taking different stances.
“There is now more pressure than what Joe Burrow can handle,” Acho said.
Acho pointed out how crucial the Bengals’ defense was during their 2022 Super Bowl run, while Daniel argued that, regardless of the defense’s struggles, Burrow shouldn’t feel any additional pressure.
.@ChaseDaniel on whether Joe Burrow is under pressure after Bengals sign Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins:
“This is not on Joe Burrow, there’s no added pressure. The pressure is on the defense because the QB has shown he can play at a high level.” pic.twitter.com/Mn0gFwZri3
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) March 17, 2025
Daniel believes the burden falls on the defense, which underperformed last season, in contrast to an offense that ranked near the top of the league in several categories. He also pointed out that Burrow has dealt with high expectations his entire career.
“When you’re a top-three quarterback in the NFL, there is always pressure,” Daniel said. “Quite honestly, you have to be good enough at times to be better than a poor defense.”
Bengals Offense vs. Bengals Defense in 2024
The 2024 Bengals were a tale of two teams. Their offense thrived, ranking seventh in PFSN’s 2024 Offense+ Rankings. Analyst Sterling Xie elaborated on their strong performance, which earned them an 83.4 (B) grade.
“The 9-8 Cincinnati Bengals might be the most explosive non-playoff team in recent NFL history. Joe Burrow led the league with 43 passing touchdowns, joining 1986 Dan Marino (44) and 2012 Drew Brees (43) as the only players in league history to throw 40+ touchdowns for a non-playoff team.”
“Cincinnati ranked second in pass success rate behind the Lions. Burrow was nothing short of great despite a run game that wasn’t very supportive (23rd in success rate).”
On the other hand, the defense struggled significantly, ranking in the bottom five of PFSN’s 2024 Defense+ Rankings. Their 66.9 (D) grade was the primary reason Cincinnati missed the playoffs. Xie detailed the unit’s shortcomings:
“The Cincinnati Bengals’ defense didn’t have much to hang its hat on besides Trey Hendrickson. The veteran edge rusher became the first player in franchise history to lead the NFL in sacks while also becoming the first over-30 player to do so since Robert Mathis in 2013.”
“Nevertheless, that wasn’t enough to keep this defense out of the bottom five. The unit was the main culprit for the 9-8 Bengals missing the playoffs and wasting a historic season from Joe Burrow and the offense.”
“Cincinnati was a below-average defense by every metric that comprises Defense+ except for turnover rate (10th), which is a notoriously fickle year-to-year stat.”
With so much money tied up in keeping the offense intact while the defense remains a question mark, the 2025 season will be pivotal for Cincinnati.