The Browns, Ravens, and Steelers all made sweeping organization changes this offseason, but unlike their AFC North rivals, the Bengals are staying the course with de facto general manager Duke Tobin and head coach Zac Taylor.
Bengals executive vp Katie Blackburn, the team’s No. 2 executive after president and principal owner Mike Brown, backed her team’s leadership in an interview on Monday. (Blackburn is Brown’s daughter. Her husband, Troy, serves as vp and their daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth, were promoted to the identical titles this offseason, per ESPN’s Ben Baby.)
“We be ok with them for numerous reasons,” Blackburn said (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). “There’s also that element of consistency that hopefully will prove out to be helpful, too.”
Tobin and Taylor led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 and followed it up with a 12-4 season and one other AFC championship game appearance the next 12 months. Within the three years since, though, Cincinnati has gone 24-27 with no playoff appearances. Injuries to star quarterback Joe Burrow, who appeared in only 18 games between the 2023 and 2025 season, have actually played a job, but so has a defense that consistently ranked among the many league’s bottom 10 units.
Blackburn also expressed confidence within the team’s roster, which she described as “a robust base to work around.” Elizabeth Blackburn specifically mentioned the acquisition of Dexter Lawrence from the Giants, who she described as a “pretty special player who can do so much on your defense.”
“They’re rarely available,” she added. “Those are the sorts of moves you determine a way.”
Burrow himself voiced excitement concerning the Bengals’ offseason moves, saying (via Baby) the team is has built best roster of his profession. He also singled out the Lawrence trade, noting that potential rookies available with the No. 10 pick Cincinnati sent to Recent York wouldn’t have the identical impact in 2026.
There have been rumors up to now about Burrow’s dissatisfaction in Cincinnati, however the move for Lawrence is an indication of commitment from the front office to capitalizing on their current window of contention. If the Bengals can field even a middling defense, their high-octane offense can likely power them to a playoff spot, and perhaps beyond.