Joe Burrow.
When you think about the starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals fans obsess over, that’s where it starts and ends. But honestly, if you’ve been watching this team lately, you know the vibe in the Jungle is shifting. It isn’t just about the "Big Three" anymore. It’s about a defense that’s undergoing a massive identity crisis and an offensive line that finally, maybe, actually looks like a professional unit.
The Bengals are in this weird spot. They have the most expensive quarterback in the league, a superstar receiver who wants to be the most expensive at his position, and a window that feels like it’s either wide open or slamming shut depending on what day of the week it is. Building a starting roster around those massive contracts is basically like trying to win a game of Tetris where the blocks are moving at 100 mph.
The Burrow Factor and the Protection Racket
If Joe Burrow is upright, the Bengals win. If he’s not, they don't. It’s a simple, brutal math.
The starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals coaches have put together on the offensive line is the most expensive iteration of the unit in franchise history. You’ve got Orlando Brown Jr. anchoring the left side. He’s a mountain. Then there’s Ted Karras at center, who basically acts as the heartbeat of the entire locker room. But the real intrigue lately has been at right tackle. Drafting Amarius Mims was a massive swing—literally. The guy is a physical anomaly. When you see him standing next to normal human beings, it doesn't even look real.
The Bengals are betting that a mix of veteran stability and raw, unpolished athleticism can keep Burrow’s pocket clean. It’s a risky gamble. If Mims hits his ceiling, Burrow has all day to throw. If the line leaks? Well, we’ve seen that movie before, and it usually ends with Burrow in a medical tent and Cincy fans doom-scrolling on Twitter.
The Receiver Room Drama
Let’s talk about Ja’Marr Chase.
He’s the alpha. He’s the guy who can take a five-yard slant and turn it into a 70-yard touchdown that makes defensive coordinators want to retire on the spot. But the "Three-Headed Monster" era is officially over. Tyler Boyd is gone. Tee Higgins has been playing on the franchise tag, which is always a recipe for tension.
This changes the look of the starting lineup significantly. You’re seeing more of Andrei Iosivas and Jermaine Burton. Iosivas is an incredible athlete—a track star who actually learned how to run routes. Burton has the talent of a first-round pick but fell in the draft because of "character concerns." The Bengals love these types of projects. They’re betting that Burrow can elevate "project" players into reliable starters.
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Honestly, the passing game looks different now. It’s less about three guys winning 1-on-1 matchups and more about Burrow finding the open void in the zone. It’s more surgical. Less explosive, maybe, but more sustainable for a guy who has dealt with some pretty nasty injuries over the last few seasons.
The Tight End Carousel
For years, the Bengals treated the tight end position like a rental car. Hayden Hurst, Mike Gesicki, Irv Smith Jr.—it was always a one-year deal for a veteran looking to rehab their value.
Now? They’re trying to find a permanent solution. Mike Gesicki brought a different vertical element to the starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals fans weren't used to seeing. He’s basically a jumbo wide receiver. But the team still needs a guy who can actually block, which is why names like Drew Sample remain so vital to the actual scheme, even if they don't show up in your fantasy football box score.
The Defensive Identity Crisis
If you want to know why the Bengals have struggled to get back to the Super Bowl, look at the defense.
Lou Anarumo is a genius. We know this. He’s the guy who figured out how to slow down Patrick Mahomes in the second half of an AFC Championship game. But even a genius needs players. The departure of Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell (before Bell's brief return) left a massive hole in the secondary.
The starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals defense currently relies heavily on young players in the secondary. Dax Hill has moved from safety to corner, which is a transition most players find incredibly difficult. Cam Taylor-Britt is a fireball—he plays with a level of aggression that is borderline reckless, but it’s exactly what this unit needs.
- Defensive End: Trey Hendrickson is still the engine. He’s one of the most underrated pass rushers in NFL history. Period.
- Interior: Sheldon Rankins was brought in to provide a spark next to B.J. Hill, especially with DJ Reader moving on to Detroit.
- Linebackers: Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are the most stable part of this entire roster. They are the glue.
The problem? The run defense has been porous. Like, really bad. You can’t win in the AFC North if you let the Ravens or the Browns run for 150 yards every game. It doesn't matter how good Joe Burrow is if he’s sitting on the bench watching the opposing team march down the field for eight minutes at a time.
Why the Backfield Looks Different
Joe Mixon is gone.
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That was a hard pill for a lot of fans to swallow. Mixon was the soul of the offense for a long time. But the NFL is a business, and the Bengals decided that Zack Moss and Chase Brown provided a better "bang for your buck" combination.
Zack Moss is a north-south runner. He doesn't dance. He hits the hole and gets four yards. Chase Brown, on the other hand, is the lightning. He has legitimate home-run speed. Seeing how the starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals uses these two is a study in modern NFL economics. You don't need a $10 million running back if you have two guys who combine for the same production at a third of the cost.
It’s about efficiency. The Bengals are trying to transition from a "star-heavy" team to a "deep" team. Whether that actually works in the playoffs is still up for debate.
The Specialist Secret Weapon
We can't talk about the Bengals without mentioning Evan McPherson.
"Money" Evan is a franchise cornerstone. In a league where games are routinely decided by three points or less, having a guy who can hit from 58 yards out with ice in his veins is a massive advantage. He’s one of the few kickers in the league who is a genuine fan favorite.
The AFC North Reality Check
The Bengals don't play in a vacuum. Their starting lineup has to be built specifically to beat the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That means you need a heavy offensive line to deal with the Steelers' pass rush. You need fast linebackers to chase down Lamar Jackson. And you need a secondary that can hold up against the physical receivers in Cleveland.
The starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals front office has clearly prioritized the trenches recently. They realized that they couldn't keep asking Burrow to survive 50+ sacks a year. It’s unsustainable. The shift toward bigger, more athletic linemen like Mims and Brown Jr. is a direct response to the "bully ball" played in the North.
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What Most People Get Wrong About This Roster
A lot of national media types look at the Bengals and see a team in decline. They see the lost stars and the drama with the Higgins contract.
But they miss the depth.
The Bengals are quietly building a roster that is much younger and more athletic than the one that went to the Super Bowl a few years ago. The 2021 team was a bit of a "lightning in a bottle" situation. This current group is being built for a longer window.
It's about the "Next Man Up" philosophy. Look at a guy like Charlie Jones. He’s a punt returner who is starting to earn more snaps at receiver. Or Kris Jenkins on the defensive line. These are the players who will determine if the Bengals remain a contender or if they fade back into the middle of the pack.
Practical Steps for Following the Bengals Roster
If you're trying to keep track of how this lineup evolves throughout the season, don't just look at the depth chart. Football is too fluid for that.
- Watch the Snap Counts: Sites like Pro Football Reference or Football Outsiders (now under new management) show you who is actually on the field. Sometimes a "starter" only plays 30% of the snaps because of package substitutions.
- Follow the Injury Report: With Burrow's history and the age of the offensive line, the Wednesday and Thursday injury reports are more important for the Bengals than almost any other team.
- Monitor the Practice Squad Elevatons: The Bengals have been very aggressive about moving guys up for specific matchups. A guy who isn't in the starting lineup Cincinnati Bengals today might be the hero on Sunday.
- Pay Attention to the Trade Deadline: The Bengals are traditionally quiet at the deadline, but with the pressure mounting to win while Burrow is in his prime, that could change.
The reality of the NFL in 2026 is that the "starting lineup" is a bit of a myth. It’s a 53-man game. But the core—the 22 guys who take the field for the first snap—tells you everything you need to know about a team's philosophy. For Cincinnati, that philosophy is simple: Protect 9, let him cook, and hope the defense can come up with one or two timely turnovers.
It’s a high-wire act. It’s stressful. It’s exactly what being a Bengals fan is all about.
To stay ahead of the curve on roster moves, monitor the official Bengals transaction wire and pay close attention to local beat writers like Paul Dehner Jr. or Jay Morrison. They usually have the pulse on which young players are pushing veterans for starting spots during the week. This roster is far from settled, and the competition at safety and defensive tackle will likely continue deep into the winter months as the team pushes for a playoff seed.