Not only is Cincinnati in the Super Bowl, but they have an astonishing
MUT 24 Coins in available cap space this offseason. The team has 36 players under contract, so some of the available money will be used to keep their own guys — but this is still so much room to sign several high-impact free agents, or just be sensible and only land a couple so you don’t over extend. It’s a pretty great free agency for offensive linemen, and clearly this is the place the Bengals can spend. Looking at a right tackle upgrade like Trent Brown from the Patriots feels like a no brainer, and there are more interior linemen that can just buy Burrow more time and make this offense even scarier.
On defense it’s about bolstering the secondary, which is considerably more difficult with the upcoming class while preserving the youth movement in Cincinnati — but there are a few 1-2 year deals for veterans like Xavier Rhodes or Patrick Peterson which would really boost the team.
The main point here is that in terms of money the Bengals have so much flexibility. They don’t need to force anything, and can build up a contending team. Money is one important factor to land players, but so is the organizational culture. There is no doubt that the Bengals have the perception of being one of the coolest teams in the Madden NFL 24, and honestly, that matters — especially to young promising players. Joining Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Co. is just fun for a player, and we’ve all seen videos of the Bengals locker room, that team is having a blast.
If you don’t think culture is important then explain how so many players went to the Patriots year after year after year. Yes, everyone wanted to win easy championships, but if the impression players are agents get is that Cincinnati is building a dynasty, then that will carry a lot of weight to get these big signings. Obviously the Bengals are not a perfect team. They made it to the Super Bowl in incredible fashion, but this was not an easy path, either through the regular season or the playoffs. Part of getting the team to the next level is making those wins easier, so we can move to getting home field playoff games.
Upgrading the offensive line is obviously the biggest factor. Joe Burrow was sacked 55 times this season, third worst in the Madden NFL 24. The interior offensive line is a huge element here, and desperately needs to be upgraded along with their right tackle. That will take an already scary offense and make it terrifying. From there it’s about adapting to the modern Madden NFL 24 by bolstering the secondary and having succession plans on the defensive line to get more rotational pass rushers, while ensuring there are plans for pass rushers to leave in free agency without overspending.
The final thing is being critical of the coaching staff. I absolutely don’t want to dump on Zac Taylor, because he’s done a phenomenal job this year, but we’ve seen coaches who can get teams to
buy MUT 24 Coins the dance, but not any further. Too often coaches coast on past success for far too long while the team withers on the vine. I’m not saying this will happen, but this much early success could breed complacency from the front office to hold coaches accountable. If there isn’t similar success or further progress while spending money, I’d like to see Cincinnati stay aware of what’s happening.