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Joe Burrow is excited about the Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason moves and is thinking big.
Burrow, 29, praised the front office for the steps it took in free agency to strengthen its defense.
“This is the most talented team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Burrow said while speaking to reporters Wednesday. “The front office has been under a lot of pressure from the fans, the public, the media. We can put all of that behind us.
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Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 14, 2025. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
“They achieved this through free will,” he added. “And then, obviously, with Dexter (Lawrence), making a trade like that, it doesn’t happen often in the NFL. So it’s exciting to see.”
The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback praised the free agent signings of safety Bryan Cook, defensive end Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, as well as the big offseason move: trading the No. 10 pick for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
“The first thing is you have to win,” Burrow said. “We’re going to win a lot of games this year, play well and win a Super Bowl.”
Burrow said he hasn’t given the front office any mandates or threats to make additions after a 6-11 campaign last season.
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws a football during practice in Cincinnati on May 12, 2026. (Jeff Dean/AP)
“I would say we had a lot of communication during the free agency period,” Burrow said. “We didn’t have our playoff meet like we usually do. I would say I was less involved this year than in previous years.”
The Bengals missed the playoffs for a third straight season last year, largely due to terrible defense, allowing the third-most points per game in the NFL last season at 28.9.
“I just think we know where we needed to be better, and we came out and got there aggressively,” Burrow said. “We filled some holes that we had from years past, we improved at a lot of positions. We signed the best free agent safety (Cook). We got the best D tackle in the league, in my opinion. So we have everything we need in this locker room. We just have to get there.”
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws a pass during the second half of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York, December 7, 2025. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
The 29-year-old said the energy was high in the dressing room and the vibrations were palpable.
“It’s no secret that the last few years haven’t gone the way we wanted, and there’s a lot of blame to be had for that, myself included,” Burrow said. “We’re in a great situation this year. We signed great people and great players. You can feel the vibe in the locker room. The energy is high right now. We have some veteran guys that can come in and show the younger guys on defense what it takes, what it means to be good every day. It’s exciting to be a part of it.”
