Bengals Off-Season Checklist

With the NFL season coming to a close, it's time for every NFL team to look to next season. That means tinkering their rosters in order to make it to next year's Super Bowl. We start off with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Here's what they need to do in the long run.

• Get A Franchise Quarterback: Andy Dalton has basically run his course in Cincinnati, so it is imperative for the Bengals to build their franchise around a new quarterback. The obvious choice is Joe Burrow, who just put up monster numbers for the LSU Tigers. Burrow had 5,671 passing yards, 60 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, leading the Tigers to the National Championship. Even T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a former receiver for the Bengals, is helping Burrow with his pre-draft training.
• Fix Up The Defense: This will be a long rebuild, so the Bengals will need to hit all the right notes with the draft. Cincinnati's defense was awful last season, so it'll be essential to get help up front as well as in the secondary. As for the other holes, low-budget, stop-gap signings will be key.
  
• Look For The Next A.J. Green: A.J. Green has been a staple for the Bengals. A seven-time Pro Bowler with Cincinnati, Green has 8,907 receiving yards, 603 catches, and 63 touchdowns in his career with the Bengals. He's likely to go to a contender, so the Bengals should use a draft pick, preferably a second round pick, on a receiver if there's one to their liking.