Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are about to play in the Super Bowl. Burrow is the youngest ever first-overall pick to lead his team to Championship Sunday and is the main reason why Cincy has had such a drastic ascent the past few years, going from the worst team in football to representing the AFC in this year’s championship.
This model, while incredibly difficult to pull off for most teams, may be replicable for Jacksonville, who find themselves in a similar position to the one the Bengals were in prior to this season. The young franchise quarterback is in place, he has all the intangibles and talent a coach could ever want, and the slate around him is nearly blank.
There are four key elements to the Bengals’ rebuild that the Jaguars can realistically emulate and there’s a good chance they can experience a similar rise in the near future.
1. The Jaguars must invest in the right weapons.
The Bengals’ acquisition of Ja’Marr chase completely changed the team’s identity, becoming an explosive offense seemingly overnight. All four conference championship teams this year had a top-notch wide receiver on their roster, and Jacksonville needs to follow suit.
Game-breaking pass-catchers make life much easier for young quarterbacks, as we’ve seen with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, and Patrick Mahomes with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Options in this year’s free-agent class include Cedrick Wilson, Allen Robinson, and Odell Beckham Jr. The Jaguars could also address this need in the draft, with a loaded receiver class headlined by Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Drake London.
2. The Jaguars must keep Trevor Lawrence safe.
The terrible Bengals offensive line last year was partially responsible for Burrow’s torn ACL and improved offensive line talent gave the young quarterback more time to let deep routes develop this year. For Jacksonville’s offense to reach new heights, Lawrence’s protection will need to improve.
The Jags have been connected to draft prospects such as Evan Neal, Charles Cross, and Ikem Ekwonu, and any one of these tackles could provide immediate impact in 2022-23. Free agents such as tackle Terron Armstead and guard Brandon Scherff could bolster the line as well.
But before the Jags make any moves this offseason, they need to decide what they will do with their own pending free agents. Offensive linemen Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, A.J. Cann and reserve Tyler Shatley are set to hit the open market and the front office needs to choose who will be back and that could have a big impact on Jacksonville’s strategy.
If the Jaguars give Robinson a long-term deal, would they still draft Neal? Similarly, would they pay a premium for Brandon Scherff in free agency? This is something the team’s brass needs to assess over the next few weeks.
3. The Jaguars must spend nicely in free agency.
The Bengals defense has been playing incredible football, and the unit is a key reason why the team will be playing in the Super Bowl. Safety Von Bell, defensive lineman DJ Reader, cornerback Mike Hilton, safety Chidobe Awuzie, and defensive end Trey Hendrickson are all impact players on this Bengals defense.
With the exception of Hendrickson, all those defenders were all undervalued assets that Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin believed could play above expectations. Cincinnati’s defense is well-coached, versatile, and lacks a real weakness, giving the offense more chances to score by generating stops.
Jacksonville has the cap space to improve the defense a considerable amount, and the right signings could allow this to manifest as early as next year. EDGE Chandler Jones, safety Marcus Maye, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi are value options for the Jaguars must consider this offseason.
It’s worth noting that this is the method the Jags used in 2017 to improve quickly. That year, their dominant defense was comprised nearly entirely of free-agent signings such as defensive end Calais Campbell, cornerback AJ Bouye, and defensive tackle Malik Jackson. While the front office shouldn’t sign any big-name player in free agency, they should use some of their cap space to acquire one or two difference-makers.
No. 4 the Jaguars must give Trevor Lawrence the keys to the offense.
Perhaps the most important element in the Bengals offense is Joe Burrow’s freedom to improvise and play the game at the pace he deems appropriate. This is a major reason he was able to make a meaningful leap.
While much can be said about head coach Zac Taylor’s laissez-faire coaching style, Burrow’s empowerment is certainly nice to see. Trevor Lawrence should be allowed to take over games with his decision-making and his arm talent. And assuming Jacksonville provides him with enough weapons he should have no problem doing so. The former Clemson Tiger can make plays with his legs as well as his arm and he is quite capable of reading defenses and adjusting accordingly. Let Lawrence cook, and reap the benefits.
Can the Jaguars follow the Bengals’ blueprint to the Super Bowl?
The Bengals’ success is founded on elite quarterback play, dominant offensive weapons, and opportunistic free agency spending. The Jaguars already have the quarterback and the cap space, and the path is there for them to fill in the gaps. It might not happen next year, but if the right decisions are made Lawrence’s Jaguars could find themselves defying odds like Burrow’s Bengals sooner than you think.