After a blockbuster trade in the division, the Cincinnati Bengals are boom-or-bust in 2026. The AFC North is the weakest it has ever been since Joe Burrow got drafted, and the Bengals have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season. On top of that, Cincinnati’s roster got significantly better, particularly on the defensive end. Zac Taylor needs to at least win the division this season, or his stint in the Queen City is more than likely over.
Why The Bengals Have To Win The AFC North This Season
On paper, Cincinnati has a cakewalk through their division in 2026, as everyone but the Bengals is transitioning to a new head coach. The Browns traded away a generational talent in Myles Garrett to the Rams for Jared Verse and draft pick, a move that definitely makes them worse in the short term. The big question for Cleveland is the quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. Watson has not been a steady starter since he arrived at the Browns, and Sanders is likely a few years away from reaching his ceiling as an NFL QB. Barring a career revival from the former Texan, Cleveland won’t be a contender for the AFC North this season.
Meanwhile, the Ravens are going through a significant transition after an underwhelming 2025 campaign. Jesse Minter is now the head coach after a successful run as a defensive coordinator with Michigan Wolverines and the Los Angeles Chargers. Lamar Jackson struggled in an injury-shortened 2025 season, and the offense had critical losses in free agency with Tyler Linderbaum and Isaiah Likely both leaving. Baltimore aren’t Super Bowl contenders this season, but the team could be a surprising playoff team if Jackson returns to form as a perennial MVP performer.
Lastly, there’s the Steelers, who are hoping a Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers reunion takes them further than the Wild Card round. Outside of trading for Michael Pittman to give Rodger a legitimate #2 receiver, the roster didn’t change that much for a Pittsburgh team with glaring flaws. The offensive line is a question mark, while the running game needs to support their veteran passer. There’s a real risk that T.J. Watt’s best years are behind him with two of the last four seasons being shortened by injury, and Cam Heyward is in the twilight of his career. The Steelers are almost a lock to go 9-8 and lose in the first round of the playoffs.
On top of the divisional opponents’ struggles, the rest of the Bengals schedule plays out favorably. Cincinnati is favored in 15 of 17 games, with the only games the team is an underdog is during road trips to Houston and Baltimore. The team’s defensive line got significantly better during the offseason with Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe joining the ball club. Combine that with the Bengals’ prolific offense with Burrow at the helm, the Orange and Black are poised to be at the top of the AFC.
There’s always the chance that Cincinnati fumbles this opportunity (which has historically been the case), but it’s hard to see how that’s possible. All the other teams in the AFC North are in a transition period with new head coaches, and are either rebuilding or should be rebuilding. Their schedule is easy, to the point where 12 wins feels like a disappointment. The franchise shored up its deficiencies on the defensive end, and Burrow doesn’t have to play against Garrett twice a year anymore. Anything short of a division title should be the end of the line for Zac Taylor in Cincinnati.
