With training camp starting, here are three questions that face the Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals held their annual pre-training camp luncheon — complete with the traditional mock turtle soup — at Paycor Stadium on Monday.

Owner Mike Brown was there to answer questions. Director of player personnel Duke Tobin was there. Head coach Zac Taylor was there. So were the Bengals three coordinators — Lou Anarumo (defense), Dan Pitcher (offense) and Darrin Simmons (special teams).

Veterans report on Tuesday and the preseason opener is Aug. 10, which led to the three top questions discussed at Monday’s luncheon.

1. Can Joe Burrow stay healthy?

It’s a simple correlation. The two seasons in which quarterback Joe Burrow played 16 regular-season games, the Bengals reached the Super Bowl (2021) and the AFC Championship Game (2022). The two seasons in which Burrow played in only 10 games, the Bengals failed to make the playoffs.

In 2020, the season in which the rookie quarterback tore his ACL, Cincinnati finished 4-11-1. In 2023, the season in which Burrow missed the final seven games because of a torn wrist ligament, Cincinnati finished 9-8.

“He’s the heart of the team,” Brown said Monday. “He has to stay healthy for us to get there.”

Burrow is expected to be ready for the start of camp, but he will be missing a pair of weapons. Running back Joe Mixon rushed for 6,412 yards in his seven seasons as a Bengal. He’s now a Houston Texan. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd caught 513 passes in his eight years as a Bengal. He’s now a Tennessee Titan.

Burrow will still have receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the latter of whom signed a franchise tag to stay with the team in 2024. And the Bengals believe they have capable running backs in second-year pro Chase Brown and free agent pickup Zack Moss.

As for Burrow, Brown said, “Joe has done everything he knows how to do to be ready to play. That’s all we can ask.”

Said Pitcher, “We need Joe to be out there.”

2. Can the Bengals protect Joe Burrow?

To keep Burrow healthy, the Bengals must keep Burrow upright. That has been easier said than done.

“We have to protect him as best we can,” Brown said. “We’ve been working to get that right.”

After signing veteran left tackle Orlando Brown last season, the Bengals signed right tackle Trent Brown this time around. Then they selected Georgia tackle Amarius Mims with the 18th overall pick in the NFL draft. Orlando Brown is 6-foot-8, 345 pounds. Trent Brown is 6-8, 380. Mims is 6-8, 340.

“We’ve got three of the biggest tackles to walk in the same uniform,” said Tobin, who added of Mims, “He’s as rare a player to come into this league as we’ve seen.”

Ted Karras returns at center with Cordell Volson and Alex Cappa at guards. Whether that translates into an offensive line that can keep Burrow clean, said Tobin, “We’ll just have to see.”

3. Will the defense be return to form?

The Bengals slipped from sixth in points allowed per game at 20.1 in 2022 to 21st at 22.6 in 2023. They slipped from 16th in total defense at 348.7 yards per game in 2022 to 31st in total defense at 374.6 yards in 2023.

“That hasn’t been us,” Anarumo said Monday of Cincinnati’s tendency to allow big plays. “That was us last season.”

Changes have been made. Run-stopping defensive tackle D.J. Reader is now with the Detroit Lions. The Bengals did sign veteran Sheldon Rankins, but second-round pick Kris Jenkins out of Michigan will be given a shot. Cincinnati also needs second-year pro Myles Murphy to step up alongside veteran ends Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard.

“We’re expecting a big jump from him,” Anarumo said.

Cincinnati is also expecting big things from free-agent signee Geno Stone, the safety who intercepted seven passes last year with Baltimore. Ex-Bengal Vonn Bell returns at safety after a year with Carolina. Youngsters D.J. Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt must improve at the corners.

Said Tobin, “I’m excited to see what they can do.”

‘It doesn’t make sense.’ NFL draft analyst raves about Kentucky’s Deone Walker.

‘Not interested in just existing’: Why Mark Stoops sees more at UK after Texas A&M saga

Randall Cobb has a new job. How will the former UK star do at the SEC Network?

With college football around the corner, let’s rank the 16 SEC quarterbacks for 2024

How Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes reacted to 3rd Super Bowl ring — and what was missing