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- The Cincinnati Bengals secured a spot in the Super Bowl after winning the AFC Championship but they could just be getting started
- The franchise has an insane amount of salary cap space to work with heading into the 2022 season
- Read more NFL news here
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The Cincinnati Bengals were listed as 150-1 longshots to win Super Bowl LVI heading into the most recent NFL campaign, and after repeatedly proving their doubters wrong over the course of the regular season, they once again defied the odds by mounting a wild comeback to beat the Chiefs on Sunday en route to earning a spot in The Big Game.
The Rams opened at four-point favorites to take home the Lombardi Trophy after winning the NFC Championship on Sunday night, but if we’ve learned anything over the past few months, it’s that you never want to underestimate the ability of Joe Burrow and the group of guys the Bengals have surrounded him with.
Regardless of what unfolds when the two teams meet in Los Angeles in a couple of weeks, it seems like Cincinnati has set itself up to be a perennial contender just two years after it put itself in a position to draft its current franchise quarterback with a 2-14 record—especially when you take a look at the salary cap space the franchise has to work with.
Earlier this month, Bengals Wire examined the team’s current situation and predicted the Bengals will head into the offseason with over $62 million to play with; only the Dolphins, Chargers, and Jaguars will have more financial flexibility as teams gear up to retool their roster for the 2022 season.
Cincinnati will have a few decisions to make when it comes to free agency, but the bulk of the offensive core responsible for the standout year will remain intact. You also can’t overlook the fact that the city is now a more lucrative destination than it’s been in decades thanks to how they’ve performed (and will only be more attractive if the Bengals manage to win it all).
Only time will tell how things will actually pan out, but the rest of the NFL might want to start worrying.