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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (left) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (right).
The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot going for them after a down 2025 season.
They’ve completely beefed up the defense, Joe Burrow is healthy, and they had a solid-looking draft last month.
The AFC North looks to be completely up for grabs. All 3 other teams in the division have new head coaches. Even though the Bengals technically have an entirely-new defense, it may be fair to say they’re the team with the most continuity in the North.
One thing no one would really question are the weapons in the wide receiver room. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is about as good of a duo as you could possibly find.
Although, who said you couldn’t make that room better?
Bengals Urged to Take a Look at Deandre Hopkins
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 14: Deandre Hopkins #10 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named a signing of Deandre Hopkins as a move the Bengals should make at some point this offseason.
“Wide receiver isn’t a glaring need for the Cincinnati Bengals, who have Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas at the top of the depth chart. However, the Bengals lack dependable depth behind those three, and veteran DeAndre Hopkins looms as a logical addition.
During Kentucky Derby Weekend, Hopkins told Sports Illustrated’s Claudette Montana that he’d like to play with quarterback Joe Burrow before his career is over.”
Hopkins isn’t who he once was, as he hasn’t had a season with over 440 yards since 2023. Still, you can do a lot worse than Deandre Hopkins as your WR3 or WR4. You can be sure Joe Burrow wouldn’t be too mad at that either.
Hopkins was most recently a member of the Baltimore Ravens in 2025. Before that, he played for the Chiefs in 2024, the Titans as well in 2024 and 2023, and spent 3 seasons with the Cardinals. Of course, he is most known for his time with the Texans, though his Arizona stop may rival it a bit.
QB Joe Burrow Holds the Key for ‘Dream Season’ in Cincinnati
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report shared Burrow’s role in a potential dream season in 2026 for the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Joe Burrow finally has a completely healthy season and the four-headed offensive monster delivers throughout a division-winning campaign as the Bengals return to the Super Bowl contender picture.”
The main question is obviously Joe Burrow’s health. Burrow has only had 2 fully-healthy seasons out of 6 total. Last season, he appeared in only 10 games in a year where Cincinnati missed the playoffs.
The Bengals played their most-recent playoff game on January 23rd, 2023. It was the AFC Championship game in which they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 23-20. In 2026, the Bengals are dead-set on returning to the playoffs, looking to make another Super Bowl run like they did in 2021.
For that to happen, Joe Burrow must be on the field.
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane