Ranking the 5 most crucial players on 2024 Bengals roster feat. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase
The Cincinnati Bengals have the unenviable task of climbing out of the basement of one of football's most difficult divisions. It produced three playoff teams last year, with Cincinnati being the only team to miss out. There were a few reasons for that, but they'll try to undo the disappointment this year. Here are the five most important players in achieving that goal.
Most important Bengals for 2024 season
5) Zack Moss
One of the newcomers on offense, Zack Moss has a big role to play. It's hard for any offense to succeed without a good running game, and Moss is now the starter. He's also replacing a fan favorite in Joe Mixon, so he has big shoes to fill. The success of this Bengals season might hinge on one of the more under-the-radar signings of the offseason.
4) Orlando Brown Jr.
Joe Burrow was hardly healthy last season. That proved to be disastrous despite some quality play from Jake Browning. Therefore, keeping Burrow upright and healthy will be paramount to any success in 2024. That begins with Orlando Brown Jr., the left tackle tasked with protecting the blind side of one of the NFL's most expensive players.
3) Trey Hendrickson
Trey Hendrickson is perhaps the most important player the Bengals have on defense. The most important part of a defense is the ability to rush the passer in most situations. Having a player like Hendrickson helps that significantly, so his success will almost directly translate to success for his unit. The Bengals don't have a lockdown secondary, so they'll need to put a lot of pressure on the opposing QBs.
2) Ja'Marr Chase
Ja'Marr Chase is crucial to the Bengals' success. He is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, a true game-changing player. Having a legitimate No. 1 wideout makes life much easier for a quarterback and gives opposing defenses a problem. Aside from one person, Chase is the most vital player to his team's success. If he plays well, the team will likely do well on offense. If he doesn't, things get a lot more challenging.
1) Joe Burrow
It's rare for a team's most important player to be anything but the quarterback; for the Bengals, Joe Burrow is the key player. For evidence of this, look at last year. Burrow spent the first portion of the season fighting a significant calf injury. and the team struggled. When he got healthy, they started winning and playing much better. When he went down with an injury for the rest of the season, the Bengals stopped winning as much.