As the NFL off-season and fantasy non-points season gets underway, we take a look at the Bengals and what this franchise might do to make a run at another Super Bowl.

And to be clear, this is what this franchise must do. QB Joe Burrow has been extremely outspoken about the team needing to get better and push all the chips to the center of the table. Missing the playoffs again is not an option. Missing the Super Bowl again is not an option.

As of now the team looks to be $45-$50 million under the salary cap for next year. That’s a good bit of money and Burrow already has expressed an interest in restructuring his deal to free more money.

Add to that the possible roster cuts that will make more money available and this team should look completely different in 2025.

Among the possible cuts are OG Cordell Volson, DE Sam Hubbard, DT Sheldon Rankins, OG Alex Cappa, LB Germaine Pratt, DB Geno Stone, RB Zack Moss.

As a note, there could be more cuts based purely on new schemes on defense that don’t fit the current roster.

Cutting all seven of the aforementioned players would save more than $40 million. Hubbard and Stone could come back at reduced numbers but the others I would expect to be let go so a number more like $35 million would be fair considering Burrow restructure.

That would mean the team would be in the $80 million range which would be more than enough to pay WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, DE Trey Hendrickson and sign an offensive lineman, defensive lineman and defensive back.

Those additions would come before the draft, which is something this franchise absolutely has to do better if it wants to remain in the upper echelon of AFC teams.

The Bengals have a new offensive line coach and new defensive coordinator among the new coaching additions. The focus has been clear. This franchise wants coaches who can develop young players in to viable veteran players for the Bengals. Too many high picks have been letdowns once they get on the field that this team had to go out and sign free agents which is not the MO they would like to continue with because of the money.

So in a way, the front office believes it is drafting the right players but the coaches are getting the players to reach their full potential. I think that is part true and part false. There were some draft reaches that were never going to develop based on their draft capital but I do believe some of the coaches were not developing or utilizing the young players to the best of their abilities.

The new staff puts the onus back on the front office to get the right players.

Duke Tobin, the lead personnel guy for the Bengals, said the defense and offensive line will be re-tooled. The defense previously used just two linebackers (LB Logan Wilson and LB Germaine Pratt) on most downs so if Al Golden wants more linebackers on the field, the team will focus on that area as well in free agency and the draft.

In an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tobin said many of the defenders on the team last year were an opportunity to run it back with the same group. He admits that did not work so we will see how he approaches things in 2025 with a new leader on defense.

He said the organization will have to make a lot of hard decisions on defense so maybe a Hubbard is one of those hard decisions.

One thing that gives Bengals fans hope is Tobin saying, It's not a pay problem. It's a decision to stay with guys you know that have been with us through really good times. It probably won't be that way this year, and we'll have to make those decisions as we go forward, and we're going to have to have additions there."

So money does not seem to be a hurdle for improving this team.

Tobin said the team would like to keep by Chase and Higgins and as long as the players can agree on a figure that allows the team to build in other areas without putting all the money in the receiver room, then both can stay.

Tobin also said the tackling on defense needs to get better so hopefully with new coaching comes better tackling and better technique on defense.

WR Jermaine Burton is in new legal trouble, having been evicted for a second time since joining the Bengals. He has so much physical talent that I don’t believe he will be let go this off-season but when camp comes he better show a more dedicated intensity to football in the orange and black.

PK Evan McPherson signed a big deal last off-season and was completely worthless for the first time in his NFL career. He must bounce back after his injury in order for this team to win. He is too good and relied on too much to continued to be one of the worst performers in the league.

Bottom line, this is a pivotal off-season for the Bengals. This is a Super Bowl team based purely on the offense led by Burrow. If the defense is better and coaching improves in certain situations, this is a team that can win it all.

End.