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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Bengals Have a Top-5 Offensive Trio in the NFL
Cincinnati Bengals Have a Top-5 Offensive Trio in the NFL originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Despite what a 9-8 record may suggest, the Cincinnati Bengals had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season. The Bengals ranked sixth in points, fifth in first downs, and ninth in yards. Advertisement The Bengals were particularly proficient in the passing game, where the led the NFL in both yards (4,640) and touchdowns (43). A lot of that can be attributed to the trio of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals committed a lot of money this offseason to keep that trio together. Chase signed a four-year, $161 million extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Meanwhile, Higgins inked a four-year, $115 million contract. In 2023, the Bengals signed Burrow to a massive five-year, $275 million extension. That's $551 million committed to three players, and that very well may be the best offensive trio in the NFL. Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame ranked the NFL's best offensive trios, and only took quarterback, WR1 and running back into consideration. The trio of Burrow, Chase, and running back Chase Brown ranked fourth on his list. Advertisement "Cincinnati has the NFL's most dynamic offense, and Burrow and Chase lead the way." Verderame wrote. "Despite missing the playoffs in 2024, Burrow led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. Chase won the NFL's receiver triple crown with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Brown is also a threat, showcased by his 990 rushing yards and seven scores." If Verderame's list factored in the three best players on offense, it's hard to imagine many trios would outrank the Bengals. The three trios listed above the Bengals were Los Angeles' Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown, and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers. Brown had a bit of a breakout campaign in his second NFL season. The former fifth-round pick took 229 carries for 990 yards and seven touchdowns. With another year of development under his belt, he very well could be headed for his first 1,000-yard campaign. Brown was second on the Bengals in scrimmage yards with 1,350, a number bolstered by his impact in the receiving game, where he tallied 360 yards and four touchdowns. Related: Could Bills Pull Off Trey Hendrickson Trade? Related: Cincinnati Bengals Accused Of Major Mistake In Signing Star Receiver This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bengals' Chase Brown more than a little underrated in new rankings
Bengals' Chase Brown more than a little underrated in new rankings Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown seems like a guy flying a little bit under the proverbial radar right now ahead of training camp. After all, Brown stepped into the lead-back role for the Bengals last year and was productive, even proving himself after Zack Moss went down with an injury before suffering an injury of his own. Despite this and the Bengals not really bringing on competition for Brown, Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema ranked him 25th out of 32 running backs in a recent look at the position leaguewide: 'Brown earned a 73.8 PFF rushing grade and a 76.6 PFF receiving grade last season to give him three-down value for the Bengals. That combination of skill helped him produce the 16th-highest PFF WAR mark among running backs in 2024.' RELATED: Bengals UDFA is already turning heads at OTAs Behind a middling offensive line over 16 games, Brown ran for 990 yards and seven scores on a 4.3 per-carry average last year, catching 54 passes and scoring four times as a receiver, too. There's no reason to think Brown will see a reduction in chances next year despite Moss coming back on a reworked contract and Samaje Perine re-joining the team. The team would like to do more to keep Brown healthy late into the season, perhaps, but not enough to have him ranked so low when it seems like he and the offense as a whole could be improved in 2025, if not at least more balanced. RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals players missing OTAs list ahead of training camp
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati rookie Tahj Brooks faces uphill battle in crowded Bengals RB room
CINCINNATI, Ohio (WDTN) – Bengals rookie Tahj Brooks faces an uphill battle this offseason as he looks for a spot in a crowded running back room. The sixth-round draft pick out of Texas Tech is one of four backs competing for roster spots this season. The Manor, Texas native established himself as the top dog of the Red Raiders' Big 12-leading offense in 2024. Brooks rushed for 1,317 yards and 14 touchdowns in his fifth and final season in Lubbock, becoming Texas Tech's all-time leading rusher with 4,369 career yards. He posted back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons to finish his college career, carrying a heavy load for the Texas Tech offense with 633 touches in his final two seasons. Brooks enters a running back regime in Cincinnati consisting of 2024 primary starter Chase Brown, Zack Moss, who is coming off a season-ending neck injury, and Samaje Perine, who was brought back to Cincinnati this offseason on a two-year deal. 'They play this game at the highest level, and I just want to join them and just be a part of that,' Brooks said. 'I feel like I'm all-in-one play. I feel like I have the power that Samaje has. I can have routes, I can run routes as good as Chase Brown.' Along with his heavy workload in the rush game, Brooks had 100 career receptions at Texas Tech and two receiving touchdowns. Brooks' strength comes in his ability to make quick cuts, as evidenced by his 4.06 shuttle run at the NFL Combine, the fastest among any running back in this draft class. 'My level of just making guys miss. I can make guys miss on any type of level. Behind the line of scrimmage, getting them extra yards, or on the line of scrimmage in a one-on-one. That's just something in my specialty about me.' But sometimes the best ability is availability, which is something Brooks was touted for in his collegiate career. In his final two years as the full-time starter in Lubbock, Brooks missed just one regular-season game and amassed 1,300 yards in back-to-back seasons en route to the program rushing crown. 'I feel like you gotta be consistent. That's the name of the game. I feel like being consistent is something that's in my game,' Brooks said.'Something I proved to coaches in my college and high school career, but now it's just starting to prove it in the NFL in my pro career.' The Bengals continue voluntary offseason practices this week before OTAs begin on May 27. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
28-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bengals ignore defense, upgrade offense in fresh 2-round NFL mock draft
The Cincinnati Bengals already had one of the better offenses in the NFL in 2024. But entering the offseason, the future of wide receiver Tee Higgins once again looms large as Cincinnati has a tough decision to make regarding him as they also have Ja'Marr Chase to pay eventually. The Bengals also struck gold with Chase Brown after Zack Moss went down with an injury this season and there's no guarantee Moss returns to the team in 2025, so extra pieces could be needed there as well. Both positions were attacked in the latest two-round mock draft from Draft Wire's Curt Popejoy. First, at No. 17, the Bengals take a potential replacement for Higgins in Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Egbuka had over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns in two of his last three seasons. He missed three games in 2023 due to an injury. RELATED: Bengals reveal coaching hires — and one comes with a twist In the second round, the Bengals grab a new running mate for Chase Brown as they select Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson. Sampson had a monster breakout season in 2024, rushing for 1,491 yards and an incredible 22 touchdowns (both school records) in helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff before losing to eventual national champion Ohio State, a game Sampson left early due to a hamstring injury. He rushed for over 100 yards in all but two games during the regular season. Defense will certainly be of need this offseason, but there's also free agency for that. The Bengals love offense and any chance they can get to upgrade that side of the football, they'll take it.
