What will the Bengals look like in 5 years?

With the 2017 NFL Draft now in the past, it’s time to look at the future of the Bengals.

The immediate future of the team looks fast and physical with many playmakers recently added in the NFL Draft to join a roster that includes A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, Vontaze Burfict, Giovani Bernard, Andy Dalton and Carlos Dunlap.

But, how about five years from now? What will the Bengals look like in 2022?

Will Marvin Lewis still be the head coach? I’m going to go with yes, just because, what will actually get him fired?

Will Mike Brown still be running the show? I’d have to say yes, again.

Will 2017 first round draft pick John Ross have his fifth year option exercised and be a star in the NFL? I’m hoping more than anything that his one is a yes and that the selection of Ross proves to be one of the best draft picks in Bengals history.

Will the Bengals have finally won a Super Bowl? YES, YES, YES.

How about a playoff game? Obvious, the answer is yes.

Will the 2017 draft class be praised as one of the best ever in Cincinnati history? Sticking with the theme of optimism, and since the Bengals will need this draft class to be great to win a Super Bowl, I say yes.

No current Bengals are under contract in 2022. Dalton hits free agency in 2021, as do George Iloka, Shawn Williams and William Jackson III (assuming his fifth year option is picked up). The same will be true of the draft class added this weekend (with the exception of Ross).

I hope that five years from now, the Bengals are the official kings of the AFC North, running the show and winning the division with the kind of frequency we’ve only dreamed of. A Super Bowl appearance and win will have happened between now and five years from now, too. Green and Dalton deserve it.

How about you? What’s your vision for the Bengals in 2022?