It's late May, which means it's time for NFL stars to set lofty goals and speak with pure optimism.
After a busy offseason in Cincinnati, quarterback Joe Burrow brought a sunny disposition to the Bengals' voluntary OTAs on Wednesday, expressing plenty of confidence in his team's chances entering the 2026 season.
"I think this is the most talented roster that we've had since I've been here," Burrow told reporters.
Burrow makes an interesting point. In an offseason in which Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals finally divorced, Cincinnati's franchise quarterback likes where his squad stands. Credit is due to general manager Duke Tobin's aggressive approach to the offseason, in which he shipped the 10th overall pick in the 2026 draft to New York in exchange for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, then broke his personal, measurables-focused convention by selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell with the No. 41 pick.
In total, Tobin added four new projected starters (Lawrence, edge rusher Boye Mafe, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Bryan Cook) on the defensive side and three additional rotational players, finally dedicating resources to a previously neglected portion of the roster. That could be why Burrow is feeling so optimistic about 2026, even without Hendrickson.
Speaking of which, Burrow wasn't surprised Hendrickson chose Baltimore as his next stop.
"Because I know Trey, I love Trey," Burrow said. "I just know how he operates."
He'll get a good look at Hendrickson in his former teammate's new uniform under the lights of Paycor Stadium when the Bengals host the Ravens in prime time on New Year's Eve, Cincinnati's penultimate regular-season game in a campaign they hope is destined for a return to the postseason.
"Anytime we play the Ravens, that one is circled," Burrow said. "That goes back years, back from when Lamar (Jackson) and I were a lot younger. So that's always a battle when we get after it."
If everything goes according to Burrow's plan, he'll be flirting with Bengals franchise history by that point. The three-time Pro Bowler revealed he is aiming to break Cincinnati's career passing touchdown record of 204 -- held by Andy Dalton -- in 2026, a mark that will require Burrow to throw for 48 scores this season.
If he accomplishes that goal, he'll likely land among NFL MVP finalists.
"You always want to be MVP of the league, Super Bowl MVP, win a Super Bowl," Burrow said. "All those things are ... I'm not necessarily sure I'd say a seasonal goal of mine would be to do that because you never know how things will play out. As far as winning the MVP, a lot of things have to go right. I'd like to win one eventually, for sure."
Such a scenario would represent great success for the Bengals, a team that hasn't tasted the playoffs since 2022. As demonstrated by Tobin's offseason actions, Burrow's encouraged outlook and his recent acknowledgement that the Bengals "have everything we need," urgency to return to the postseason is high.
We'll see if they can finally deliver on the expectations.
