The Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow era has hit its first true period of turbulence.
After a sobering 6-11 campaign that saw the defense surrender nearly 29 points per ballgame, the Bengals enter the offseason with a luxury they rarely possess: a top-10 draft pick and nearly $54 million in cap space.
However, having resources and using them correctly are two different things in the Queen City, and before the draft clocks start ticking in April, the Bengals must answer one pivotal question: Will the front office abandon its draft-and-develop stubbornness to aggressively rebuild the NFL's 30th-ranked defense through free agency?