The Cincinnati Bengals season was lost the second Joe Burrow got hurt and was out for the year. Can they reload the roster and return among the NFL elites? The Bengals definitely have some holes on their roster, and maybe this is the year they finally fix their offensive line. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are both free agents in 2024, and their secondary could use a boost.
The Bengals should be just fine in 2024, but their roster issues are too obvious to ignore. Cincy might truly be the only team in the NFL that can defeat Patrick Mahomes in the AFC. Joe Burrow has proven to be able to go toe-to-toe with Mahomes, as he and the Bengals have taken care of them in the regular and postseason.
I would bank on Cincy returning to the NFL elite status in 2024, but that won't happen without coming away with a strong NFL Draft in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft: Reloading the roster for Joe Burrow
18th Overall - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Staying put at 18th overall and landing arguably the best right tackle prospect in this year's draft is huge, literally, JC Latham is massive. He stands at 6'6" and is 360lbs, according to Alabama's website. The team signed Orlando Brown Jr last year in free agency. That upset Jonah Williams, but he eventually got over it and was playing right tackle for the team this year.
Williams isn't good and is a free agent, so the Bengals have a huge need at tackle.