"They better spend money on it" - NFL analyst pushes Bengals to fix glaring O-Line problems
The Cincinnati Bengals somehow made a miraculous run to the Super Bowl with arguably the worst offensive line in football.
That came back to haunt them as the Los Angeles Rams sacked Joe Burrow seven times in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, which resulted in a 23-20 loss for Cincinnati.
Burrow was sacked 51 times during the regular season in what was a jarring amount considering he was fresh off season-ending knee surgery in 2020. The team now has the offseason, with both free agency and the NFL Draft, to improve its offensive line.
ESPN analyst Marcus Spears addressed the problem on the ESPN show Get Up. He decided to send a loud and clear message to the Bengals about what they must do this offseason:
"They better spend every damn penny on the offensive line. Don't look at no one else when they go to the combine. When they go to the combine, they gotta just go the day the offensive line go. When they go to free agency, they better learn everything about every offensive lineman that will be on the market until they can get one on their team because like I did on SportsCenter, I'm going to hit them with this today. Cincinnati until you do right by Joe Burrow, this is not going to end well for you guys."
The Bengals may want to listen to Spear's advice if they want to keep Burrow healthy and around for a long time as their franchise quarterback.
Bengals have one obvious goal in mind after being bold in the 2021 NFL Draft
Cincinnati decided to forgo adding an offensive lineman when they drafted receiver Ja'Marr Chase with the number five overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That ended up working out in a huge way as he formed a dynamic duo with Burrow and won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Yet the glaring need to protect Joe Burrow remains and Cincinnati must use all its resources to improve its offensive line. The team just nearly won a Super Bowl with a weak unit up front.
That means while the rest of the roster could use upgrades, they were already close to a championship with the current group.
Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times this season
22 more sacks than any other QB 😬 https://t.co/GOwfGLqLpG
Ultimately, Burrow is the key to long-term success in Cincinnati. If the team refutes Spears' advice, he could end up like former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who retired much too early due to chronic hits and injuries that took a toll on his body.
Or even worse, he could refuse to sign a long-term deal with the team in the coming years and go win championships elsewhere.
The franchise now faces a monumental offseason if they want sustained postseason success with their superstar quarterback.
Also Read: “He’s on the track to become the next Andrew Luck” - NFL analyst sees bleak future for Joe Burrow if Bengals don’t fix offensive line