The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2025 season grappling with a defense that continues to underperform despite the exceptional talents of Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow. Although edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart have reportedly ended their holdouts, the defensive unit remains one of the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/football/nfl/”>NFL’s weakest, putting the future of the team’s success—and the legacy of its offensive superstars—in jeopardy.
Despite boasting a top-tier quarterback and arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, the Bengals have failed to reach the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. Their defense ranks among the league’s worst in defensive expected points added (EPA), obscuring the offensive brilliance displayed by Burrow and Chase during those campaigns.
Offense Dominates But Defense Fails to Deliver
The 2024 season highlighted the perplexing imbalance within the Bengals roster. Cincinnati lost games despite scoring 27.8 points on average in those losses—the highest recorded by any team in NFL history during losing contests. Joe Burrow threw over 40 touchdown passes, becoming only the third quarterback ever to miss the playoffs with such prolific production, joining Dan Marino in 1986 and Drew Brees in 2012. Ja’Marr Chase claimed the rare wide receiver triple crown, a feat achieved by only five players since 1970.
Even with these stellar individual achievements, the Bengals’ defense consistently failed to provide adequate support, making the team’s offensive milestones feel increasingly futile.
Defensive Spending Falls Far Behind Offensive Investments
The Bengals’ financial focus on offensive talent has left the defensive side underfunded. Cincinnati has committed more than $174 million to offense in the upcoming season—the second-highest expenditure in the league—while allocating just $104 million to defense, ranking in the bottom five for defensive spending according to Overthecap.com. This spending gap mirrors a rare pattern seen in only 13 prior NFL teams since 2013, where top-five offensive spending coincided with bottom-five defensive investment.
While other teams like the 2024 Rams and Chiefs have managed postseason success despite similar financial imbalances by drafting and developing defensive talent effectively, the Bengals have struggled to follow this model.
Comparisons to Struggling Franchises Highlight Bengals’ Defensive Woes
Historical parallels with teams like the 2014 Packers and 2014 Saints illustrate the dangers of an offense-heavy approach without strong defensive support. Both franchises supported all-time great quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, respectively, yet failed to maintain Super Bowl-caliber defenses, which contributed to their inability to return to the NFL’s biggest stage after their initial championship runs.
The Bengals risk following a similar trajectory unless defensive improvements are made, as they currently fit the profile of teams heavily reliant on offense but critically lacking a fortress defense.
Drafting Failures Have Exacerbated Defensive Deficiencies
One of the Bengals’ most glaring problems has been their inability to draft and develop defensive players who reach elite performance levels. From 2011 to 2024, Cincinnati drafted 59 defensive players, yet none earned a Pro Bowl selection while with the Bengals. Jessie Bates III was a Pro Bowler, but only after moving to the Falcons. The last Bengals defensive draft selections to achieve Pro Bowl honors in Cincinnati were Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap in 2010, marking the longest active defensive Pro Bowl drought in the NFL.
While players like Bates, Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, and Sam Hubbard showed flashes of productivity, the overall lack of consistent defensive talent acquisition has contributed to the team’s persistent struggles. This gap is especially critical, given the need for the defense to provide a solid foundation alongside high-priced offensive stars like Burrow and Chase.
Limited Impact from Defensive Rookies on the Field
Examining defensive snaps from the 2024 season reveals that the Bengals’ young defenders on rookie contracts have not been able to fill the void adequately. Among the top eight defensive players in snaps who remain on rookie deals — including Cam Taylor-Britt, Josh Newton, DJ Turner, Kris Jenkins, Jordan Battle, Myles Murphy, Dax Hill, and McKinnley Jackson — few performed above average in player grades according to Pro Football Focus, with none ranking in the top quartile for their respective positions. Five of these players were even evaluated in the bottom half.
Notably, defensive backs DJ Turner, Jordan Battle, and Dax Hill, all drafted within the first three rounds, have combined for just four interceptions over seven seasons. Additionally, first-round pick Myles Murphy has failed to meet expectations, accumulating only 3.0 sacks in 30 career games, ranking 15th on the team in defensive snaps over two seasons, and not yet starting a game.
Potential for Improvement in the 2025 Draft Class
The Bengals sought to address defensive weaknesses in the 2025 draft by selecting Shemar Stewart, who displayed a rare workout performance at the NFL Scouting Combine likened to Myles Garrett. Stewart measures 6-foot-5, weighs 267 pounds, runs a 4.59-second 40-yard dash, and achieved a 40-inch vertical jump. Despite this athleticism, his college production was modest at 4.5 sacks in 37 games, and his contract holdout has disrupted his first-year development.
Due to the Bengals’ historical reluctance to involve rookies heavily, Stewart is unlikely to have an immediate impact. Bengals’ first-round defensive rookies from 2011 to 2024 combined for a mere 10 percent of the team‘s defensive snaps during their rookie campaigns—the lowest in the league during that period.
Aside from Stewart, rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter face opportunities to contribute following the release of Germaine Pratt, who led the team in tackles last season but was traded after requesting a move.
Defensive Coordinator Changes and the Challenge Ahead
A significant offseason shift occurred with the replacement of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo with Al Golden, adding another variable to the Bengals’ defensive outlook. Golden’s ability to maximize the current roster and develop young talent will be crucial if Cincinnati hopes to seize its championship window while Burrow and Chase remain at their performance peaks.
The defense must improve markedly to support the offense more consistently, or the team risks squandering the rare chance provided by having two potential all-time great players on their roster.
Joe Burrow’s Legacy at Risk Without Defensive Support
Joe Burrow’s legacy might ultimately be shaped not just by his own extraordinary play but by the Bengals’ defense’s ability to elevate itself. If the defense fails to improve, Burrow’s career trajectory could parallel that of Dan Marino, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees—quarterbacks renowned for their individual greatness but whose teams lacked sustained defensive excellence, limiting their Super Bowl appearances to just one each.
Historically, these quarterbacks played behind defenses ranked poorly in scoring defense over their careers—Marino’s Dolphins ranked 15th on average, Rodgers’ Packers 15th, and Brees’ Saints 18th. Meanwhile, Burrow’s Bengals have ranked 18th on average since his drafting in 2020, finishing in the lower half in four of his five seasons.
Cincinnati’s defense has allowed an average of 23.1 points per game during Burrow’s starts, ranking tied for second highest among quarterbacks who have started a Super Bowl. This places Burrow alongside Matthew Stafford, Joe Namath, Eli Manning, and others who faced similarly porous defenses.
Challenges in Reaching Multiple Super Bowl Appearances Without Solid Defense
Among the top 12 quarterbacks with the highest points allowed per game on Super Bowl teams, only Eli Manning started multiple Super Bowls. This rarity underscores how difficult it is to reach multiple championship games with a subpar defense. Manning’s situation was exceptional, and the Bengals may need to improve their defense significantly if they want Burrow to have repeated postseason success.
For now, the Bengals’ defense faces a pivotal season. Without meaningful defensive improvements—either through contributions from the 2025 rookie class or better coordinator leadership—the team’s offensive brilliance from Burrow and Chase risks being overshadowed by a lack of postseason achievements.
Ja’Marr Chase Bengals offense legacy hangs in the balance, dependent not only on his and Burrow’s performances but also on Cincinnati’s capacity to reconstruct a defense capable of championship contention.