There are a lot of potential issues for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.
Some of those things come from the exterior, like the semi-rare ways in which the schedule reveals disadvantages.
Some of those are internal, such as the need to break in a new starter at right tackle and the unknown status of the revamped secondary.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton identified a roster flaw that could harm each team in 2024 and cited possible offensive imbalance as a major issue:
Burrow will continue to light up defenses with wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins downfield, but the offense may be underwhelming on the ground. Opposing defenders could tee off on Burrow in the pocket, drop an extra defender in coverage and dare Cincinnati to run the ball against lighter boxes to slow down its aerial attack.
It’s a very real concern and part of the reason coaches and Joe Burrow himself have made it clear that they will adapt to the offense to use more under-center looks.
That will make it harder to prepare for the Cincinnati offense and tougher to get a read on during live action. It also explains the arrival of Mike Gesicki to take some slot snaps after the departure of Tyler Boyd, plus the general desire to otherwise get faster there.
Granted, planning for the necessary change and executing it well are two different things. But the imbalance has been a theme around the roster building this offseason, if nothing else.
