With the 2024 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the Cincinnati Bengals‘ focus shifts to the 2024 season. As a result, they need to analyze their offseason and see if any more moves need to be made.
Cincinnati Bengals News Today
Bengals Receive Offseason Grade
Now that free agency and the draft are over, the main addition period of the offseason has come and gone. Teams can still make roster moves, and every team will, but there won’t be too many major moves for a while.
PFN’s Dakota Randall gave every AFC team a grade for their offseason, factoring in both additions and losses, and the Bengals received one of his best grades. The team’s A- grade ranked third in the entire conference, only behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans.
Some of their notable signings include Trent Brown, Zack Moss, and Sheldon Rankins. Their losses, however, include Joe Mixon, Jonah Williams, D.J. Reader, Chidobe Awuzie, and Irv Smith Jr. They also notably drafted Amarius Mims, Kris Jenkins, and Jermaine Burton.
“This grade could change if the Bengals eventually trade Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, but we’ll cross those bridges if they’re ever built,” Randall said. “In the meantime, the Bengals deserve credit for addressing their issues on both the offensive and defensive lines.”
READ MORE: AFC Offseason Grades — Ranking All 16 Teams After Free Agency and NFL Draft
Why 8 Was More Than Enough for the Bengals When It Came To Drafting Amarius Mims
In the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bengals took offensive tackle Mims. However, one of the biggest knocks on him coming into the process was the fact he’d only started eight games. Bengals director of college scouting Mike Potts talked about why eight was more than enough.
“I would say it was watching that Ohio State playoff game (in the 2022 season),” Potts said. “As a young, true sophomore, he’s out there playing in his first start of his career, shutting down some really impressive guys on the edge in a national semifinal.”
“That’s really where he jumped out,” Potts said. “Even though it’s only his first start, there’s some rare attributes that he has. It’s not just traits. He’s a pretty polished product all together.”
Potts went on to add that his traits made him stand out but also how he played excellently in his minimal number of games.
READ MORE: Why 8 Was More Than Enough for the Bengals When It Came To Drafting Amarius Mims
Bengals Rookie Jersey Numbers Announced
One of the most important questions after the draft is what numbers the rookies will wear. While they’re still subject to change, the Bengals announced each of their rookies’ numbers. Here they are:
- OT Amarius Mims: 71
- DT Kris Jenkins: 90
- WR Jermaine Burton: 81
- DT McKinnley Jackson: 68
- TE Erick All: 83
- CB Josh Newton: 28
- TE Tanner McLachlan: 84
- EDGE Cedric Johnson: 52
- DB Daijahn Anthony: 33
- C Matt Lee: 62
As long as they all make the active roster following the preseason, they will have the opportunity to change their numbers once again when more numbers are available following roster cuts.
READ MORE: NFL Rookie Numbers — Tracking Every Jersey Number for the 2024 Class
Bengals Players Roast Orlando Brown Jr. for His Birthday
One of the most notable additions in recent years for the Bengals has been left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. With his birthday taking place on May 2, his teammates made sure to expose him. This comes after Brown spent 2023 exposing his teammates on social media content.
It's @ZEUS__57's birthday! So obviously the guys had to roast him 🎂🔥 pic.twitter.com/iuHUrfnNRt
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 2, 2024
The Bengals shared it via social media, with some of his teammates roasting everything about him, from his college to his teeth.
