Cincinnati Bengals fans can spin the wheel of blame wherever they want when it comes to the team missing the NFL Playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
Here’s the reality, though: the wheel of blame has no landing spot.
Let’s go big-picture here. The problem with the Bengals is that they are not a proactive franchise. Rather, they are a reactive franchise. That doesn’t allow for sustained success.
Imagine if they were more proactive in contract extensions. Running back Chase Brown is up for an extension this offseason, and he deserves one. Brown is coming off a season where he rushed for over 1,000 yards while catching 69 passes for 437 yards and five touchdowns. That’s with playing with three different starting quarterbacks and an offensive line that took over a quarter of the season to gel.
Brown might be the turning point, with ESPN’s Ben Baby summing up a recent interview with the breakout running back:
Brown said the Bengals and his representation have been “working hard” and “been in communication” regarding a potential extension.
Talk is cheap, though. If the Bengals want to shed their national perceptions of being cheap, this would be a good place to start. Get out in front by extending a core piece of your offense.
Brown technically has one more year left on his rookie deal at a roughly $3.7 million cap hit. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
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