Look, we get it. The Super Bowl was barely over a week ago. The draft and free agency both lie ahead, with team rosters far from finalized for the 2024 NFL season. Training camp doesn't even start for another five months, with the first regular-season action over six months away. But that hasn't stopped media outlets from releasing their "Way-Too-Early" Power Ranking articles. Some outlets rank the Bengals as high as third, one writer is picking them to win the Super Bowl, while others have Cincinnati just hovering around the top 10 as they wait to see how the offseason plays out.
Below is where the various outlets have the 2024 Bengals slated.
"The most important thing for the Bengals is Joe Burrow returning to full health, but they do have an interesting offseason ahead of them with notable players like Tee Higgins, D.J. Reader, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jonah Williams scheduled to hit free agency and a Ja'Marr Chase extension looming. The good news is they are currently fifth in available cap space, which should give them the ability to re-sign key players and go after reinforcements on defense. If Burrow's health cooperates, it should be a quick bounceback for Cincy." --Raymond Summerlin
"The Bengals will get Joe Burrow back and they have the salary cap money and draft acumen to compensate for whatever he might lose around him offensively and also going back to work addressing some defensive holes." --Vinnie Iyer
DraftKings Odds: 5th (via CBS)
"Another team the oddsmakers are expecting a bounce-back from is the Cincinnati Bengals. They are tied with the Detroit Lions for the fifth-best odds to win the Super Bowl next season. Injuries played a big part in their demise in 2023, headlined by quarterback Joe Burrow. When healthy, he has proven to be the toughest adversary to Mahomes in the AFC and his talent level should have Cincy in contention." --Tyler Sullivan
The Ringer: 5th
"The team will have to make tough calls with wide receiver Tee Higgins, defensive tackle D.J. Reader, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, tackle Jonah Williams, and wide receiver Tyler Boyd. The Bengals aren't in bad shape—they rank fourth in the league in 2024 cap space—but some cuts will have to be made." --Riley McAtee
SI.com: 6th
"My projected 2024 Super Bowl champion gets its franchise quarterback back and could introduce us to the next great NFL offensive coach: Dan Pitcher. The Bengals played well with a severely injured Burrow and with Jake Browning, finishing a respectable 9–8 amid the best division in football. Now, with cracks showing all over the AFC North facade, the Bengals will make a run avenging their Super Bowl LVI loss." --Conor Orr
Pro Football Network: 6th
"It might be easy to forget about the Bengals, who missed the playoffs after Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 10. But with Burrow expected to be at full health, and WR Tee Higgins expected to be franchised, Cincinnati is well-positioned to compete for the Super Bowl next season." --Dallas Robinson
USA Today Sports: 6th
"A pivotal offseason awaits the Bengals as they enter the final year of Joe Burrow's rookie contract. Tee Higgins either needs an extension or a trade that will recoup premium draft assets for Cincinnati. The same can be said for Ja'Marr Chase (though he's more likely to get extended). While the Bengals will never be out of Super Bowl contention with Burrow as their quarterback, it's about to get a lot tougher if they can't capitalize during the next calendar year." --Robert Zeglinski and Christian D'Andrea
The Athletic: 10th
"No team has moved up this list more than the Bengals, who not only have $59.4 million cap space but are getting Joe Burrow back from a season-ending wrist injury. Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is gone, but Burrow's return more than makes up for it. Burrow is 27-15 as a starter in the last three seasons and cheap(-ish) for one more year." --Josh Kendall
