Way-too-early projections for the Bengals offense in the 2023 season

It’s that time of the year again. The NFL released the 2023 schedules for each of the 32 teams. The good news for the Cincinnati Bengals this year, they travel the least out of any team, just over 11,000 miles.

As expected, they have quite a few must-watch matchups this upcoming season, including four primetime games: Week 3 at home against the Los Angeles Rams, a highly anticipated rematch in Week 8 at home against the Buffalo Bills, a Week 10 AFC North matchup in Baltimore against the Ravens, and Week 12 down south against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

They also have a few exciting non-primetime matchups, including their season opener and finale with both Battle of Ohio games against the Cleveland Browns, as well as another trip to Nashville in Week 4 to take on the Titans, a trip to the West Coast against the San Francisco 49ers Week 7, then hosting rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans Week 9, the first matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in The Jungle in Week 11, and of course a rematch of the AFC Championship in Week 17 at Arrowhead against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Statistically, it’s very possible for the Bengals to have a special year. Here are some predictions I’m making for various Bengals entering next season.

• Last season, Burrow finished with just under 4,500 passing yards with 35 touchdowns. This season, with another new and improved front line, he breaks the 5,000-yard mark passing to go with 40 touchdowns. He also wins his first MVP.
• Despite missing a few games last year, Chase had 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns. This year he surpasses 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s currently the single-season receiving yards holder for the Bengals at 1,455, set in 2021.
• Tee Higgins has another 1,000+ receiving yard season to give multiple receivers above that mark again as he finishes just short of Chase with 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns.
• In possibly his last year with the Bengals due to contract conflicts, Tyler Boyd ends his career as a Bengal on a memorable year, as he records just over 700 yards and five touchdowns.
• Charlie Jones led the Big Ten in receiving yards last year and this year he proves why he would be a solid Boyd replacement, as he surpasses 300 yards with three touchdowns.
• Trenton Irwin continues to be a fan favorite with just under 300 yards and two touchdowns.
• The Bengals haven’t had a consistent return man since Alex Erickson. This year, sixth-round pick Andrei Iosivas becomes Cincinnati’s newest returner, recording 300 total return yards.
• After a very interesting offseason of doubts about running back Joe Mixon, and the improved line to help create more holes, he proves his worth to Bengals fans with his fourth career 1,000-yard rushing season, and he finds the end zone for a career-high 14 times.
• Running backs Trayveon Williams and Chase Brown both make statements with their new contracts. Williams steps into Perine’s former role and hits 400 yards on the season with a few touchdowns, and Brown cracks the 300-yard mark in his first season and finds the end zone twice.
• The offensive output helps the Bengals prove themselves as an elite team and go on to win the AFC North for the third consecutive year, get another rematch with the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and ultimately head back to the Super Bowl!

What do you think about these projections? Let us know in the comments section!