Cincinnati Bengals’ Window Of Opportunity Now Apparently Closed

Cincinnati Bengals prospects for a Super Bowl berth were perhaps never higher than they were before this season. Now, only seven weeks in, it is clear that not only are the team’s hopes for this season over, but an era of sorts is coming to an end.

Coming off an AFC North division title and boasting a strong defense and running game, the team brought in new marquee receivers to fix the subpar passing game. All appeared to be in place to make a legitimate Super Bowl push. But with that not happening, lost on many team followers is that the Carson Palmer-Chad Johnson/Ochocinco era of most of the past decade has run its course. Neither player can leave after this season, but certainly the team will begin looking for their replacements in earnest.

Palmer is in his ninth year, and while having shown moments of brilliance, it is clear he is not in the upper crust class of quarterbacks, a la Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Bengals owner Mike Brown put the team in Palmer’s hands for the last eight years, and along the way put about $100 million in his bank account. Palmer has done nothing but his best, but it just hasn’t been enough to distinguish him as among the elite. Cincinnati will likely use a high draft choice in 2011 to select Palmer’s successor, and let the newcomer study for a year or two under Palmer’s tutelage.

Players who can leave after this season via free agency include Terrell Owens and Cedric Benson. There’s no reason to bring Owens back, and you have to think Benson will look around after having had his role in the offense reduced somewhat this year.

And, of course, the biggest elephant in the room is the lame-duck status of head coach Marvin Lewis, who does not have a contract for next year. He and Brown have kept their reasons for not extending the contract very close to the vest, so it is very difficult to tell what the issues are. Reportedly, Lewis has been offered an extension, but has declined.

Should Lewis leave, a new coach would bring new assistants, new playbooks, new nomenclature, and there will be an inevitable adjustment period.

What it all means is that this year was the last legitimate chance the Bengals had to make a Super Bowl run in the Lewis-Palmer-Ochocinco era. With big changes coming, it’s not likely the Bengals will be as close as they thought they were this season for a very long time.