The Bengals had one of the best offenses in the league in 2024, but they missed the playoffs because they also had one of the worst defenses.
An inability to stop opposing offenses led to a 4-8 start that dug the team too deep a hole to escape with a strong finish to the year. They responded by firing defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and hiring former Notre Dame coordinator Al Golden to run the unit in 2025.
The offseason program got underway on Monday, which gives the team’s defensive players their first chance to learn what life will be like with Golden.