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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 moves they made in free agency to bolster their defense.
“This is the most talented roster we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Burrow said while speaking to reporters on Wednesday. “The front office has taken a lot of heat from the fans, the public, the media. We can put all 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 went and made it happen with free agency,” he added. “And then obviously Dexter (Lawrence) making a trade like that doesn’t happen a ton 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, along with the big swing of the offseason: trading the No. 10 pick for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
“The most important thing is you have to win,” Burrow said. “We’re going to win a lot of games this year and play well and win a Super Bowl.”
Burrow said he didn’t give 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 free agency,” Burrow said. “We didn’t have our postseason meeting like we usually do. I would say, if anything, I was less involved this year than in previous years.”
The Bengals missed the playoffs for a third straight season last year, in large part because of a terrible defense that allowed 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 went out and aggressively made it happen,” Burrow said. “We filled some holes that we had from years past, got better at a lot of positions. Signed the best free agent safety (Cook). Got the best D tackle in the league, in my opinion. So we have everything we need in that locker room. We just have to go out and make it happen.”
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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, NY on December 7, 2025. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
The 29-year-old said the energy is high in the dressing room and the atmosphere is palpable.
“There’s no secret that the last several years haven’t gone the way we wanted and there’s a lot of blame to go around, myself included,” Burrow said. “We’re in a great place this year. We’ve brought in great people and great players. You can feel the vibes in the locker room. The energy is high right now. We’ve got some veteran guys that can come in and show the younger guys on the defense what it takes, what it means to be great every day. It’s exciting to be a part of.”
