Overview
- Burrow told Bengals.com in an exclusive interview this week that his 'now-or-never' remarks were meant to create urgency and that he is 'here for the long haul' and not seeking a trade.
- He said he is healthy, expects to regain the mobility that boosts his game, and has taken a larger leadership role in the locker room.
- The Bengals responded to prior defensive failures by trading for Dexter Lawrence II and signing veterans such as Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen and Bryan Cook to overhaul the front seven and secondary.
- Despite the roster moves and Burrow’s reassurance, several national preseason models and pundits do not project Cincinnati to make the playoffs, shifting importance to the club’s early regular-season performance.
- Burrow’s history of serious injuries, the Brown family ownership’s win-now spending and the team’s three straight missed postseasons together set up 2026 as a clear near-term test of whether upgrades produce sustained contention.