2019 NFL Power Rankings: Who heads into summer at No. 1?

No. 30 – Cincinnati Bengals

Now that the Bengals have cut ties with Marvin Lewis, they can put their lengthy past of playoff ineptitude behind them. It was time for Cincinnati to pull the plug two years ago, but as the saying goes, better late than never. Now, two years late, they’ve entrusted their future in former Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor.

Taylor is a young coach with a modern vision and a bright charisma, and he inherits a team that isn’t entirely devoid of talent. Offensively, the Bengals were a bit of a pleasant surprise last year. They started out hot before cooling off late in the year and finishing No. 26 overall in total offense, but several players emerged as potential difference makers, such as Joe Mixon and Tyler Boyd. Even disillusioned first-round pick John Ross had seven touchdowns on 21 catches.

Ultimately, however, the negatives outweighed the positives, and the 2018 season became the last straw for Bengals ownership. Now, they’re putting their faith in Taylor. It’s a faith that may eventually be worth the investment, but in 2019, things may not be so grand.

The Bengals were not entirely inactive in the 2019 offseason. They added talent to help patch up the defense’s inconsistencies, and mesh with Geno Atkins and rising star Jessie Bates. On offense, Jonah Williams will help the offensive line facilitate more effectively. Still, however, the Bengals are on the thin side, in terms of top-end talent, and Andy Dalton hasn’t shown himself to be able to elevate a team without that kind of talent.

To put it in brief terms, the Bengals are a rebuilding team that could have more foundation work on the way, especially if Dalton leaves in 2020. They’re in a division with three playoff contenders, and they have a first-year head coach. There are small signs of promise for Cincinnati, but the start of an era doesn’t always exude such promise. Give it time. Zac Taylor could bring the Bengals back to the playoffs. But it won’t be in 2019.