The Cincinnati Bengals are poised for a playoff push and are hosting two players, 4-time Pro Bowler, Xavien Howard, and Super Bowl champion Leonard Fournette for workouts, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The move doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, as the Bengals fell to 4-6 on the season.
Despite a heroic performance from Joe Burrow, it wasn’t enough once again. Even wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was mind-blown over their ‘crazy’ record. However, when looking at the numbers, it isn’t too crazy to see why.
For instance, Cincinnati allows 26.2 points per game, the sixth-worst in the league. On the flip side, their offense has been almost unstoppable. They average 27 points per game, the sixth-best in the NFL. In a division with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, the defense can ultimately win a game.
Xavien Howard and Leonard Fournette can bring much to the Bengals
Insert Howard, a 4-time Pro Bowler who has an impressive résumé. In the 2020 season, he led the league in interceptions (10) and pass deflections (20). As a result, he made the All-Pro team for the only time in his career. While he won’t likely be the lockdown corner he was, his veteran presence can do wonders for a young Bengals secondary.
Shifting back to offense, Fournette has Super Bowl experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. He was the lead running back during that run. Although Chase Brown has performed well, having a veteran back can take pressure off of the rookie. Plus, championship experience has never hurt an NFL franchise. Also, the Indianapolis Colts hosted Fournette before Week 1 this season.
Regardless if Cincinnati makes a move or not, any team would like to have these two. The combination of leadership and productivity is essential for a team in win-now mode. It wouldn’t hurt the Bengals if they made that push, considering they made the Super Bowl three seasons prior.
