Cincinnati Bengals ranked as second-least valuable franchise in NFL

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the oldest NFL franchises, having been around for over 50 years. However, in a small-market city, it doesn’t help their value, which is lesser than fans might have imagined.

The Bengals ranked 31st on the list of the NFL’s most valuable franchises. The list was compiled by the popular and respected business entity, Forbes. The Dallas Cowboys topped the list.

Given their value of over $6 billion, there are some pretty wild facts regarding their value compared to other teams.

“Here’s a look at the list of the NFL’s most valuable franchises. You’ll notice that the Cowboys ($6.5 billion) are worth nearly $2 billion more than the two least valuable franchises — the Bengals and Bills — who have a combined value of $4.545 billion. You’ll also notice that the most valuable division is the NFC East, which has all four of its teams ranked in the top nine,” CBS Sports’ John Breech noted.

The Cowboys are the most valuable franchise in the world with the New York Yankees, New York Knicks and Barcelona following them. The New England Patriots are the only other NFL team in the top 10.

Given the Bengals' location, in the heart of downtown Cincinnati beautifully placed on the river, their value is understandable. And, hey, at least it isn’t last in the league with the Bills claiming that spot.

The Bengals are well under the near $3.5 billion average of NFL franchises that Forbes also noted. They did improve on their $2 billion valuation from a year ago.

That said, with the amount of young talent this roster currently has, the future of this franchise is very bright. Hopefully, stringing a couple of Super Bowl victories together with superstar former No. 1 pick Joe Burrow leading the way will help change the value narrative.