CINCINNATI -- Joe Burrow had a lot to say this offseason.
Between all of the flag football, horse racing and fashion shows that have taken up his downtime since the end of last season, the Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback also had two news conferences during workouts.
It's no secret this season is arguably the most important since the Bengals drafted Burrow with the first overall pick in 2020. Cincinnati was uncharacteristically aggressive after a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2025. The Bengals beefed up the defense by acquiring a few new starters, including Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.
Here are three important Burrow quotes to know as the Bengals get ready for the upcoming season.
Burrow quote: "It's been fun to watch the communication of the defense in these walk-throughs that we've had. Who's going to be vocal? Who's going to step up into that leadership role? That's a lot of question marks, but we're going to set out to [find the] answer."
Why it matters: Sometimes too much gets made about vocal leadership. But that was a major problem last year in Cincinnati as the defense was retooled on the fly. Two of the Bengals' defensive captains in 2025, Trey Hendrickson and Logan Wilson, didn't finish the season and are no longer on the roster (Hendrickson, not retained in free agency; Wilson, traded and now retired).
To help address that issue, the Bengals added players who have been important contributors from winning teams: edge rusher Boye Mafe (Seattle Seahawks), safety Bryan Cook (Kansas City Chiefs) and safety Kyle Dugger (New England Patriots). Between the veterans and the emergence of the young players, including linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., Cincinnati is hoping that leadership makes a difference this season.
Burrow quote: "Trying to find ways to be explosive in the run game and then try to find some things off of that that can get us a couple of easy explosives -- we're committed to that. Our coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together to try to execute that."
Why it matters: This quote was part of a series of questions and answers about the merits of being under center versus the shotgun formation. And it's a good point considering how heavily the Bengals have used shotgun. Since 2024, the Bengals have been in shotgun 82.2% of the time, the second-highest rate in the NFL during that span, according to ESPN Research.
But no matter which formation the Bengals find most effective in 2026, Cincinnati needs a more explosive run game. The Bengals have failed to make teams pay for focusing so much on Burrow and star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Cincinnati was 27th in the NFL last season in percentage of rushes that went for 10 or more yards. And against light boxes with six or fewer defenders near the line of scrimmage, the Bengals were just 20th in rush yards over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
As Burrow pointed out, if the offense can get those big plays on the ground, it will be much easier to find those big plays in the air.
Burrow quote: "A lot of urgency this year. We have everything we need. We're deep at just about every position on the team."
Why it matters: This sums up the whole offseason for Cincinnati. After missing the playoffs for the past three seasons, Cincinnati doesn't really have any viable excuses for not getting back to the postseason. The defense, which ranked 27th in points allowed per drive, has received significant upgrades for second-year coordinator Al Golden. That squarely puts the onus on the players and coaching staff to deliver in what is shaping up to be a make-or-break season.
Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn didn't want to speculate on the future of coach Zac Taylor following the vote of confidence that announced his return following the 2025 season.
But it's not just on the coaches, either. It's up to Burrow and the rest of the players to capitalize on a favorable schedule and a deep roster. In both of his interview sessions this offseason, Burrow has been clear that he expects to win a lot of games this season. That is the standard the Bengals will be judged against in 2026.
