Getty

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Cincinnati Bengals are among the teams that have been aggressive this offseason in improving their roster and challenging for a Super Bowl. After missing the playoffs for a third straight season, the Bengals are looking to make their way back to the postseason.

In free agency, the Bengals signed Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, and Bryan Cook. Then, days before the 2026 NFL Draft, Cincinnati pulled the trigger on a trade as they sent the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence II.

As a result of this aggressive offseason, NFL analyst Jason McCourty believes the Bengals will be a top contender in the AFC this year, ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens.

“To trade for Dexter Lawrence, the moves they made getting Super Bowl winners on the defensive side of the ball, and they’ve returned all 11 starters on the offensive side,” McCourty said on the May 26 edition of “Up & Adams.”

“This is a team in the AFC where it is hard to argue that Kansas City, Baltimore, and Buffalo have a significantly better chance than the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I’ve seen Burrow do it. I’ve seen him reach a championship game. I have Cincinnati right at the top with the rest of the contenders in the AFC and their ability to get to the Super Bowl.”

Why the Bengals Could Be a Top Team in the AFC

Moreover, McCourty went into detail as to why he’s high on the Bengals’ 2026 season. Despite the Bengals falling short over the last three seasons, Cincinnati has done enough for Joe Burrow to sing the front office’s praises heading into the upcoming campaign.

“I love what the Bengals have done,” McCourty added. “I remember being on set on ESPN, and we were talking about Joe Burrow and comparing numbers side by side: Joe Burrow and Andrew Luck, the number of times they were sacked, the number of times they were hit, and how many games they played.

“Joe Burrow talked about, ‘I’ll be done with it when I’m not having fun.’ And you’re sitting there thinking, wait, is Joe Burrow going to retire early? Does he want out of Cincinnati? And now you fast-forward to offseason workouts starting up.

“Every time he’s been interviewed, all he’s talked about is, ‘We have everything we need right here in the locker room to go out and win a Super Bowl and win a ton of games this year.’ He is ecstatic with what the organization has done, and I don’t remember the last time we’ve said that about the Cincinnati Bengals.”

Insider on Joe Burrow’s Future In Cincinnati

The Bengals have put all their chips on the table to show Burrow they can build a championship contender around him while he’s still in his prime. Nonetheless, Sports Illustrated’s NFL insider Albert Breer recently shared his thoughts on Burrow’s future after receiving a question about whether the quarterback will spend his entire career in Cincinnati.

“This sort of question would’ve been preposterous 20 years ago,” Breer wrote in his May 6 mailbag article. “But based on where the NFL is now, and where professional sports are in general, when it comes to player movement, it’s hard to rule out the idea that Joe Burrow could end up elsewhere.

“If you really want to dig into it, I think the most relevant case study for Burrow’s future is Matthew Stafford. Burrow is now 29, and six seasons into his career, having made the playoffs twice, advancing to the AFC title game on both occasions, and reaching the Super Bowl after his second season as a pro.”