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Cincinnati Bengals: What to watch for during Super Bowl 53

By Kenn Korb

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 20: General Manager, Les Snead, head coach Sean McVay and Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 20, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints with a score of 26 to 23. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 20: General Manager, Les Snead, head coach Sean McVay and Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 20, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints with a score of 26 to 23. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 19: Rodger Saffold #76 of the Los Angeles Rams wears an LAFD hat in honor of the Los Angeles Fire Department battling the Woolsey fire before playing in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 19, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 19: Rodger Saffold #76 of the Los Angeles Rams wears an LAFD hat in honor of the Los Angeles Fire Department battling the Woolsey fire before playing in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 19, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

Upcoming Free Agents On Both Sides

Free agency becomes a more important and impactful aspect of team-building for teams every year. The salary cap has consistently risen around $10 million per season for years now, and player movement is as abundant as it’s ever been.

Even teams which have rarely made splash moves (like Cincinnati) often end up dipping their toe in the water a few times each year. The past two years, we’ve seen the NFC representative in the Super Bowl buoyed by massive free agent moves, and by the end of Sunday night those big-money plays may have played a key role in the outcome of two straight Super Bowl defeats for Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Each of these teams have a ton of players set to hit the open market, and any teams looking for upgrades to enhance their rosters will get to see them compete on the highest stage before getting there.

The Rams have an especially intriguing set of upcoming free agents to watch. Ndamukong Suh’s 2018 didn’t stick out in terms of stats, but he’s impressed in the playoffs (1.5 sacks vs New Orleans) and, on a per-play basis, he was still highly effective this year. Pairing him with Geno Atkins would be scary.

Rodger Saffold had a strong year and would immediately be the best offensive lineman on the entire Bengals roster no matter where he got put. Numerous linebackers (Ramik Wilson, Bryce Hager, Corey Littleton) are set to hit some form of free agency, and Cincinnati sure needs some capable depth there. Furthering the power of an expected strength on the defensive line with another rotation player (Matt Longacre, Dom Easley, Dante Fowler Jr, Ethan Westbrooks) would be good.

Don’t discount the players who could leave the Patriots either, however. A disappointing wide receiving corps could use a capable addition like Chris Hogan. The defensive interior rotation could be boosted by either Danny Shelton or Malcom Brown. Trey Flowers is a hidden star, but New England rarely pays anyone big money contracts; if the price is right, Cincinnati could swoop in and give themselves another underrated, high-end, do-everything defensive end.

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