Bengals Quarterback Looking for a Strong 2025 Season
Quarterback Joe Burrow has had a roller coaster of a career since he was drafted in 2020. The Cincinnati Bengals' star quarterback has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns three times in his five seasons as a starter. This latest season saw Burrow throw for 43 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. Normally, these numbers would put someone in the MVP conversations, but unfortunately for Burrow, the rest of his team wasn’t giving him much help. Despite the impressive stat line, the Bengals have now gone back-to-back seasons without making the playoffs, finishing with a 9-8 record.
While the Bengals’ season results haven’t been great over the past two years, Burrow is still a well-respected quarterback around the league. After all, he made it to the Super Bowl in only his second season as a starting quarterback. The offense may be able to score for the Bengals, however the defense has been a large factor in their results the past two years. They would rank 31st in total defense yards allowed in 2023 and 25th in 2024. Alongside getting off to slow starts at the beginning of the season, the Bengals have struggled to find success despite Burrow performing at a high level. As frustrating as it is for the fans in Cincinnati to watch, it’s even more frustrating to their quarterback, whose demeanor has noticeably changed after the losses.
To address the issues Cincinnati has had, they’ve had a busy offseason. The Bengals would sign wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to a four-year extension through 2029 and re-sign wide receiver Tee Higgins on a four-year deal through 2028. They would also re-sign tight end Mike Gesicki to a three-year, $25.5 million contract. The Bengals are ensuring that Burrow keeps his offensive weapons for the foreseeable future. To solve their defensive issues, Cincinnati would sign a two-year deal with linebacker Oren Burks and bring in defensive tackle T.J. Slaton to strengthen their defensive interior. In the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bengals would select defensive end Shemar Stewart with their 17th pick. Stewart will look to become a huge part of the defense and ensure they become a strength rather than an issue. With new players on board and returning ones looking to bounce back after last season, Burrow is primed for another big year with hopefully better results.
