Bengals relying on important players returning from I.R. in 2019

“The Big ‘If.’” It’s essentially the credo of the 2019 Cincinnati Bengals.

In lieu of going big in outside free agency and making splashy trade-ups in the early rounds of the draft, the Bengals have largely stuck to their M.O. of the past decade or so. In sticking to that strategy, they are confident in their belief that they have one of the strongest rosters in the NFL—if they remain healthy.

While the team did end up being a house of cards last year, one can’t simply deny the 4-1 start to the season and subsequent slew of injuries to important players. If critical rookies and veteran Pro Bowlers remained far more healthy than what occurred in reality, the team may have been able to sniff a…