CINCINNATI -- Much about the Cincinnati Bengals looks unrecognizable from when Zac Taylor was hired as the team's head coach in 2019.
One of the few exceptions is how the offense looks. From the beginning of Taylor's tenure, the team has been one of the largest proponents of "11 personnel," which gets its nomenclature from the number of running backs (one) and tight ends (one) on the field for a play.
But as the Bengals prepare for 2024, even the offensive structure is subject to some tweaking. After investing in two tight ends this offseason and losing veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd, things could be different.
After Cincinnati's first organized team activity of the offseason, Taylor left the door open for a tweak in the offensive scheme as the team looks for the most effective way to score points with quarterback Joe Burrow behind center.
"We'll evolve with our personnel and the skill sets that we have as a unit that can really put pressure on the defense," Taylor said. "Whether that's putting more tight ends on the field or less tight ends on the field, we'll continue to evaluate that over the entire offseason and training camp."
In each of Taylor's five seasons, the Bengals have ranked in the top five in the amount of offensive plays that featured one tight end, one running back and three wide receivers. When quarterback Joe Burrow was healthy between Weeks 5 and 10 of last season, Cincinnati ranked third in that category.
But the Bengals are adapting to new working conditions this year. Brian Callahan, who was Taylor's offensive coordinator for the last five years, left to become the Tennessee Titans head coach. Boyd, who was one of the few holdovers from the previous coaching regime, was not re-signed after his contract expired and eventually joined the Titans.
The Bengals are evaluating their options at slot receiver, including rookie Jermaine Burton, a third-round pick out of Alabama. Meanwhile, the tight end position provides a much firmer outlook.
In free agency, Cincinnati re-signed Drew Sample and added veteran Mike Gesicki. Sample signed a three-year deal worth $10.5 million while Gesicki signed a 1-year deal worth $2.5 million. Sample is known for his proficiency as a blocker, while Gesicki has primarily been a pass-catching option in his career.
But each has shown the ability to be versatile. And as the Bengals gauge whether one tight end or two tight ends works better, it comes down to how defenses adjust their base packages to account for the offensive personnel on the field. Most notably, the Pittsburgh Steelers use their run-heavy formations even when the Bengals have three wide receivers on the field.
"It's really about, what are the matchups we want," Sample said, "whether that's in the run game or the pass game."
No matter which option the Bengals choose, the most important aspect remains constant -- scoring as many points as possible. And when Burrow was truly healthy last year, Cincinnati had an efficient and productive offense. During Burrow's best five-game stretch last season, Cincinnati ranked fourth in expected points added per play and were seventh in touchdowns per drive, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Ultimately, whatever the Bengals decide will also adhere to a core philosophy that has helped Taylor and the Bengals build a successful team around Burrow.
"We're player-centric," Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said at the NFL scouting combine in February. "We're going to put our best guys out there. We're going to see what matchups we can exploit and we're going to do that on a week-to-week basis."
"I like playing 11 (personnel). I believe in it. I think there's some value in really majoring in a personnel group. But that doesn't mean we can't adjust off of that and modify what we do based on who we have."