ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky crowns the Cincinnati Bengals as his divisional favorite, citing a revitalized defense and Joe Burrow’s return as the keys to winning the AFC North.
The Cincinnati Bengals have been the subject of significant national media attention throughout this offseason, and for the first time in three years, most of it has been positive.
Cincinnati’s aggressive roster overhaul has turned heads across the league, and the analysts who spent the past three seasons questioning whether the Bengals could build a contender around Joe Burrow are beginning to change their tune.
Among those who are singing Cincinnati’s praise right now is Dan Orlovsky. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, the former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst made a declaration that would have seemed premature just four months ago.
“Right now, [the Bengals] would be my tick pick to win the division,” Orlovsky said. “I think it’s obviously a huge year for Cincinnati, for Joe Burrow. That’s why they make the trade for Dexter Lawrence. A bunch of new starters on defense that just has to pay off for them.”
That’s a bold take with the 2026 regular season still months away. But the reasoning behind Orlovsky’s statement is hard to argue against.
2025 was a down year for the Bengals overall as they finished 6-11, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Burrow played just eight games after suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery.
While Burrow’s injury may have played a huge role in Cincinnati’s disappointing campaign, the Bengals’ defense, which ranked among the worst units in the NFL, took home the majority of the blame.
That will likely not be the case in 2026 as the Bengals enter the new season with one of the league’s best defenses. The Bengals signed DE Boye Mafe weeks after helping the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl. They added DT Jonathan Allen, one of the league’s most revered veterans, and Bryan Cook, a two-time champion with the Kansas City Chiefs.
As if that wasn’t already enough, the Bengals added Kyle Dugger after an impressive year with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Then came perhaps the most impactful trade of the offseason so far. The Bengals acquired DT Dexter Lawrence, sending their 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants.
The Bengals also added DE Cashius Howell and CB Tacario Davis to their roster via the draft, completing one of the franchise’s most ambitious moves in recent memory. With these moves, Burrow finally has a solid defensive unit that can complement his job on offense.
But how this matches up against AFC North competition remains to be seen. Cincinnati’s defense will face offenses that will be anchored by Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, a Browns’ offense likely led by Deshaun Watson and a Pittsburgh Steelers’ unit that could feature four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
None of these matchups are expected to be cheap walkovers, but Orlovsky has every reason to believe the Bengals will come out on top.