In two years the Cincinnati Bengals went from an NFL worst 2-14 to the Super Bowl. Their quick turnaround has the entire top half of the draft wondering if they could be the next team with a similar turnaround.
The Falcons are among those teams who are looking to go from pretender to contender after narrowly missing out on the playoffs in 2021. But repeating the turnaround is much easier said than done.
Not only does it take a serious amount of luck to have a turnaround that quickly, but there were also a few things the Bengals benefitted from that the Falcons won't have the luxury of.
In 2020, needing a QB, the Bengals drafted first overall and took Joe Burrow. He was lost due to injury that season and the Bengals managed another top-5 pick after a four-win season and drafted WR Ja'Marr Chase in 2021.
The Falcons are drafting No. 8 this year and won't be able to take a QB the quality of Burrow, or even a receiver the quality of Chase. Without being in a full rebuild, they likely won't have a top-5 pick next year either.
In addition to being lower in the draft than most teams facing a complete turnaround, the Falcons also don't have the salary cap space to draw significant players in free agency.
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Believe it or not, the Bengals appear to have struck gold in Joe Burrow. But only the knee injury that sidelined him in 2020 set the team up to draft Chase and make a run this season. Without that, they wouldn't have been in the Super Bowl.