As a team, the Cincinnati Bengals have a lot to prove during the 2024 NFL season after failing to qualify for postseason play last year. There are also several players on the team who have plenty to prove individually. Here's a look at the top three.
Dax Hill, Cornerback
The Bengals selected Dax Hill in the first round just two years ago, but after two seasons, the team has decided to switch his position from safety to cornerback.
“We've seen it from him and we think it's the best opportunity right now to help our team,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of the move. It's typically not a great sign when a highly-drafted player is asked to switch spots so early in his career, but perhaps it won't be a bad thing in this scenario.
Hill isn't projected to be a starter at cornerback, but he'll have to show that he can contribute positively in the time he does get or his future with the franchise will come into question.
Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver
Tee Higgins is coming off of his worst statistical seson in the NFL. He had just 42 receptions, 656 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 -- all of those numbers represent career-lows.
Higgins will very likely be playing under the franchise tag in Cincinnati next season, and unless he agrees to an extension with the Bengals before mid-July, he'll become a free agent next offseason. So, he'll basically be playing for his next contract in 2024, and after a relatively down year, he needs to author a bounce-back campaign in order to maximize his market value.
Joe Burrow, Quarterback
Joe Burrow is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL. The Bengals selected Burrow with the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he has lived up to expectations. Over his first four seasons, Burrow led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance, was named to a Pro Bowl and was also named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021. His addition immediately catapulted Cincinnati into contender status.
However, Burrow was limited to just 10 games last year after suffering a season-ending wrist injury, and the Bengals failed to make the playoffs. It was the second time in Burrow's four-year career that he played just 10 games, and some have started to question his durability as a result.
Another stellar season from Burrow -- like the one he had in 2021 when he played in 16 games and threw for over 4,400 yards and 35 touchdowns should silence any remaining skeptics and prove that he's indeed worth the massive contract that the organization gave him last year.
