Last and probably least again next season, there’s the Cincinnati Bengals. The future is bright for Cincinnati. But, how long will it stay bright? Currently, the Bengals are the worst team in the AFC North and it will remain that way for only a few more seasons. With this most likely being it for Big Ben and the Steelers, the Bengals have a chance to possibly leapfrog the Steelers if Pittsburgh struggles. So what about Cincinnati? They have Joe Burrow returning from an ACL injury and Tee Higgins coming off of a solid rookie season. What kind of improvements should Cincinnati make?

Free Agency

Here’s Mike Brown, the man who is in charge of putting together the Bengals roster. So far, Cincinnati has made a few signings. So far, the Bengals have added: Trey Hendrickson, Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie and Larry Ogunjobi. There’s a theme to these signings. Defense. The Bengals appear to be locked in on improving that defense, which they should. The offensive side of the ball is taken care of compared to the defense. The more defense the better. With that being said, who else will they sign?

Offensive tackle

The Bengals need help on the offensive line. Cameron Fleming is an experienced guy who can get the job done. That’s what the Bengals need. A veteran voice on the line to help out the young guys. Joe Burrow needs protection and Fleming is someone Burrow can trust. Fleming is an instant upgrade for the offensive line in Cincinnati.

A recent release in Tennessee is a gift for Cincinnati. Go get him Mike Brown! This is Dennis Kelly. Kelly is very reliable on the offensive line and is a young enough guy where he can still learn and improve. Kelly was part of that dominant Titans offensive line that would “help” Derrick Henry. Dennis Kelly can help make key blocks to create lanes for running back Joe Mixon. This guy will be a top target and Cincinnati should go after Dennis Kelly agressively.

Offensive guard

It seems like everyone is leaving Baltimore. Here’s another guy that will most likely not be wearing purple next year. D.J. Fluker. Fluker spent most of his career with the Chargers before going to Baltimore last season. Again, Cincinnati needs so much help on that line that this just makes too much sense for the Bengals to sign him. Fluker is reliable and doesn’t give up a lot of sacks which is something Joe Burrow loves to see out of his offensive linemen.

This was the last time we saw Chance Warmack. So why would Cincinnati sign him? It’s a low risk high reward signing. He was a solid backup in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl season. Warmack has what it takes to be a starter. He’s fresh and he’s looking to resume his career. Cincinnati is an ideal spot for him.

Cornerback

This is a no brainer. Bring him back. Mackensie Alexander emerged as a leader on the Bengals defense last year and he made a very strong case to be resigned by Cincinnati. 47 total tackles, one interception, six passes defended and a vocal leader. That was Alexander’s 2020 season. It will be a huge loss to the secondary if he leaves.

Trade?

It doesn’t seem like any trades really are available for the Bengals at this time. Maybe something on draft night but nothing now just a few short days into free agency.

Draft

Another position the Bengals need a lot help in is the linebacker position. This is Micah Parsons, the best linebacker in the draft. The Bengals have the fifth pick in next month’s draft. It shouldn’t be surprising if Parsons goes to the Bengals at five. This guy put together quite the career at Penn State. Micah Parsons won Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award, was named to the first team All Big-Ten, was named a consensus All-American and was the Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP all in 2019 (his last season). What an addition this would be to the Cincinnati defense!

Final thoughts

Alright the Bengals will still be bad but they’ll improve. With the defensive side of the ball being taken care of so far in free agency, Cincinnati should now start to look at the offensive side of the ball. Protect Joe Burrow. That should be top priority. It’s that simple. However, nothing is simple in Cincinnati.

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-Matt Burnett (@mattthew_jordan on Twitter)