CINCINNATI -- The infrastructure around Joe Burrow remains intact.
At least for now.
Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher is projected to stay on the team's staff following one of the recent developments in the coaching cycle. Pitcher was in the running to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next offensive coordinator, a job that went to former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
And the ho-hum offseason the Bengals wanted is coming to fruition, meaning Cincinnati will not have to expend energy on making offensive improvements before next season. For a team coming off a 6-11 campaign, it might not make sense to keep the offensive apparatus intact.
But Cincinnati's best chance of winning big in 2026 will be with Burrow operating at the highest level. And he has been the biggest advocate of the coaches surrounding him.
"I'm very confident in our coaching staff," Burrow said after the team's regular-season finale. "I know those guys work really hard to put us in good positions, and I always feel well-prepared and put in the best spot to succeed. From that standpoint, I think we're in a good spot."
On the surface, a coach from a team that just went 6-11 and has underperformed in three straight seasons typically isn't a candidate for better jobs. But Pitcher has proved that isn't the case. And a few numbers from Cincinnati's 2025 season might indicate why.
Burrow had some outstanding performances when he returned from a turf toe injury that sidelined him for nine games. When Burrow started last season, the Bengals averaged 2.58 points per drive, according to ESPN Research. To put that in perspective, the Cowboys were fifth in the NFL for the entire season at 2.56.
Cincinnati also was able to navigate Burrow's injury well enough. When Joe Flacco started in the middle of the season following his arrival via trade, he was more than serviceable. Flacco matched Burrow's expected points added per drop back (0.11).
And those numbers, matched with Burrow's comments, are strong evidence of the mission of what Pitcher and the coaching staff try to accomplish each week.
"The players are out there playing," Pitcher said following the team's 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins. "You try to put them in the best position to have success and whether we do or not is very much dependent on their execution."
Whether the Bengals will be a playoff team again will hinge on the team's offensive success. Excluding players acquired via trade, no team has invested more into its passing attack than the Bengals. According to data available via OverTheCap, the Bengals have contracts valued at $616 million for wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks. The next closest team is the Kansas City Chiefs at $553 million.
There's still room for the Bengals to get a greater return on their investment. Opponents have made it a point to stop Cincinnati's top two receivers, All-Pro Ja'Marr Chase and standout Tee Higgins. While both were among the most productive targets in the NFL last season, the big plays haven't always materialized.
Last year, Chase tied for 31st in receptions of 15 or more air yards. He had three touchdowns on throws of that depth. None of them came from Burrow. In 2024, Chase tied for 12th in that category with 19 receptions, including eight touchdowns.
"Them being able to connect and be on the same page is critical to our success," Pitcher said on Dec. 15. "I think there's been times where they have, and obviously there's plays that they want back."
Finding ways to make that happen will fall on Taylor, Pitcher and the rest of the team's coaching staff as Cincinnati charts a critical offseason.
The continuity among the coaching staff and on the roster should give Cincinnati more time to focus on improving the on-field product ahead of what will be the most scrutinized and crucial season in recent franchise history.