The Cincinnati Bengals fell short of expectations in the 2023 season, experiencing a disappointing performance. A challenging beginning to the year, compounded bycincinatti bengals’s season-ending wrist injury midway through, significantly hindered their playoff aspirations.đ
While there were some positive developments, including Jake Browning’s emergence as a dependable backup quarterback and Chase Brown’s effectiveness as a complement to Joe Mixon, the Bengals overall fell short of the preseason hype. Unfortunately, this also meant that another year passed without any Bengals player earning a spot on the Associated Press All-Pro list. This marks the eighth consecutive season without such recognition for Cincinnati.
One notable omission for Cincinnati was defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who had an outstanding season. Hendrickson finished tied for second in the NFL with 17.5 sacks and tied for third with 33 quarterback hits. Among the four other edge rushers who secured a spot on the All-Pro list, only Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt recorded more sacks than Hendrickson. Despite his impressive performance, Hendrickson did not receive the All-Pro recognition.
Indeed, Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, and Maxx Crosby were all deserving of All-Pro accolades, but Trey Hendrickson certainly made a strong case for inclusion as well.
As the Bengals enter the offseason, they face significant questions, particularly concerning the futures of key players like Joe Mixon and wide receiver Tee Higgins. With Joe Burrow now commanding a top-dollar contract as the quarterback, the decisions on cost-saving measures will play a crucial role in shaping the team’s future. These financial considerations could have a substantial impact on the direction and composition of the Bengals in the coming seasons.