Duke Tobin envisions better days ahead for a Cincinnati Bengals team that’s finished last in the AFC North for three consecutive seasons.
The Bengals director of player personnel had a Zoom press conference Monday, a little more than a week in advance of the NFL’s new league year, which is set to start at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 17.
When the new league year begins, Tobin and the Bengals are determined to improve on the club that’s won six games in two seasons, the fewest among any NFL team in that span.
“We've got some work to do to compete in our division for sure. We've got a good division. It's historically been a good division. We've had our share of competing in it, but we certainly haven't the last couple of years,” Tobin said.
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Tobin cited injuries as a major reason why the team won just four games in 2020. The Bengals entered Week 17 with 10 players on injured reserve, a list that included QB Joe Burrow (knee), RB Joe Mixon (foot), DT D.J. Reader (quadriceps) and CB Trae Waynes (pectoral). He’s optimistic Cincinnati will be more competitive in the division if impact players will be able to stave off the injury bug.
The core players on the Bengals are pieces Tobin and the front office believe they can build around and create a winner.
“When I look at our team, I'm excited. I think we've got one of the premier, best young quarterbacks in the game, and we're going to do everything we can to build around him and give him the opportunity to really shine and show what he can do, and so it's going to start with him. And, then beyond him, I think we've got a good receiving corps. I think we've got a young, exciting receiver. I think we've got a consistent, proven veteran in Tyler Boyd,” Tobin said. “It'd be good; it's going to be great to have Joe Mixon back in the lineup.
“Defensively, it'll be great to see Trae Waynes on the field there. You know, we haven't got that yet. D.J. Reader coming back off of injury, that's something to build around. We really like our young linebacking core. I think it's really going to come into its own in the second year. I think we've got a great safety tandem, that I'm excited with, and we've got to fill in some spots, for sure. But I see a lot to get excited about.”
Also generating excitement is the Bengals’ salary cap space. The NFL has yet to finalize the 2021 salary cap, but the franchise is expected to have roughly around $40 million in available cap space. Similar to last offseason’s approach, Tobin and the Bengals plan to be aggressive in free agency and through the draft.
"We're going to see what comes our way. We want to attack our team needs through the draft, through free agency, through re-signing our own players, through development of young players that we have. We are certainly not going to sit on our hands,” Tobin said. “I know we will be prepared to jump in and see what we can get done. Hopefully we will be able to get the things done that we envision. Whether it happens or not we'll see.”
The Bengals are in a fortuitous position. Even though the salary cap is expected to decrease due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bengals have some cap flexibility. They are a franchise that can be buyers in free agency and attempt to improve their roster through the draft. Furthermore, they have identified the players who they want to build around in their quest to create a winning ball club.
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