2. Last hoorah for Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati?
The single most successful head coach in modern Bengals history is facing a do-or-die season in Cincinnati. Following a 2016 campaign that saw his team miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 2010, Lewis is squarely on the hot seat.
With expectations comes an understanding that Cincinnati must not only make the playoffs but go deep in the postseason for Lewis to be retained. After all, here’s a guy that’s 0-7 in his playoff career.
More than just Lewis, it appears that the 2017 campaign is a make-or-break one for Andy Dalton as well. The two really do seem to be tied at the hip, with Cincinnati being able to get out from under Dalton’s contract by only paying out a $2.4 million cap hit for the 2018 season.
All this is only magnified by Cincinnati’s unwillingness to trade backup A.J. McCarron prior to what will be a contract year for the former national champion. Should the Bengals struggle in 2017, there’s a real scenario that suggests they will move on from both Lewis and Dalton.
The good news here is that A.J. Green appears to be back at full health and in the best shape of his career. Add in the presence of troubled rookie Joe Mixon in the backfield, and Cincinnati might very well have an elite offense once again in 2017. If not, questions will arise about both Dalton and Lewis.