Joe Burrow sees similarities between this year's Bengals and 2019 LSU national title team

CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow says that he feels similarly about this year's Cincinnati team to how he felt about the LSU squad that he won a national championship with in 2019. "I'm so excited to get started and get moving," Burrow said. "I wish we ramped this right into training camp so we can continue to improve. I feel like there's so much greatness we'll be able to achieve this year that I'm just excited to get going." The Bengals have had an aggressive offseason, rebuilding the defense through free agency and adding veteran leaders with winning experience. With new players Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe, Burrow says that the Bengals have everything they need to contend. During the spring program, he said that he was impressed with the types of players that the Bengals brought in. "We have guys that have been there and done that and also guys who have had a lot of individual success and not necessarily the team success that we're looking for," Burrow said. "Guys like Dexter (Lawrence) and guys like Jonathan (Allen), bringing guys like that in is so advantageous to a lot of different people. Players trying to improve makes it easier on coaches. We have guys with so much talent and I'm just excited to put it all together." The Bengals had full attendance in OTAs and minicamp, and coach Zac Taylor canceled the final two practices of minicamp with the Bengals having gotten in the work he was looking to see. The Bengals bring back all 11 starters on offense from last season. Burrow says that the unit looks "great." "All the guys are putting in a lot of work to try to improve," Burrow said. "With the veteran players we have coming back, they're doing a great job of setting an example for the younger guys and trying to teach them how to be great. I think the spring has gotten everybody better. We need to continue that over the next month before we come back." Burrow said that with a lot of urgency entering 2026, he has been conscious about his leadership style this spring. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher used the word "blunt." Burrow used the word "mean." "This offseason, I really focused on trying to bring urgency to the room and try to just get everybody to understand the level of urgency that we have this year; the level of play that's going to be required from every individual who steps on that field," Burrow said. "I've tried to communicate that. I've tried to be a little more vocal in a mean way. I think that's a little out of my comfort zone, but that's somewhere that I'm improving. Maybe it's good and maybe it's bad, but we'll find out." The Bengals haven't been in the playoffs since the 2022 season. Expectations are high for a team with a lot of key players who have never appeared in the playoffs in a Bengals uniform, and Burrow plays a huge role in leading the team's effort to get there. "Put pressure on guys," Burrow said. "I love it. I thrive in it. We'll find out who else does. I know we have the kind of people who want to be in that spot. I want everybody talking about the Bengals."