Cincinnati Bengals superstar Joe Burrow is about to have a cleaner pocket this season, helping flesh out head coach Zac Taylor’s vision. As training camp rolls on, Bengals right tackle Trent Brown is back practicing with the team as Cincinnati has activated him to return to action, the team announced.
Brown had been dealing with a minor issue to start camp, but he’s ready to return and fight for a starting right tackle spot with Amarius Mims. Brown was projected as the starter at right tackle after the Bengals lost Jonah Williams to the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. However, Mims has been on fire during training camp and making full use of those reps with the first-team offense.
The Bengals signed Brown as a free agent this offseason. He spent the last three seasons with the New England Patriots and was with the Las Vegas Raiders before that. Brown won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots and was a Pro Bowler in 2019.
Now that he’s with Cincinnati, Brown wants to keep Joe Burrow upright and add another Super Bowl ring to his collection. If that were to happen, it would be the first championship in the Bengals’ history.
How far will the Bengals go this season?
Getting Brown back, along with the addition of Mims, will boost the Bengals this upcoming season. The two goliaths in Brown (6’8, 370 pounds) and Mims (6’8, 340 pounds) will certainly add some beef to an offensive line ranked 26th in 2023, via Pro Football Focus.
High-quality protection is something Burrow and the Bengals have needed for a while now. But now that Burrow’s healthy, the defense is more robust, and Cincinnati was able to keep Tee Higgins, the Bengals should be a legitimate Super Bowl threat. However, that’s easier said than done—especially when Cincinnati shares a division with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
But having the luxury of playing a more manageable schedule than Baltimore will help. Cincinnati might have one of the best chances out of last year’s last-place teams to finish first in their division. With that in mind, the divisional crown and possible home-field advantage will be on the line when the Ravens and the Bengals meet. It won’t be easy, considering Burrow has a 3-4 record against Baltimore. But nothing is ever easy when it comes to the AFC North.
From there, it’ll depend on who Cincinnati draws in the postseason. But considering that Burrow is 3-1 against the Chiefs, the overwhelming favorite to win it all, the Bengals have a shot at winning it all.
