CINCINNATI -- When the 2021 season started, even the most optimistic observers didn’t expect the Cincinnati Bengals to make their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years.
But that's exactly what they did, coming within a defensive stop or late touchdown of winning their first Lombardi Trophy.
Since that loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, the task for the Bengals has been clear: fend off a host of talented AFC teams by adding to a roster that currently features several young players on team-friendly contracts, including quarterback Joe Burrow.