Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview: Ultimate Madden NFL 27

Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview: Who They Are in Madden NFL 27

It’s Kobra here, and this Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview starts with a 6-11 record that does not tell you the whole story. Cincinnati threw the ball better than almost anybody at 3rd in passing, and then gave most of it back on the other side of the ball. That is the whole tension of this roster in one line. You get a 99 overall receiver, a 97 overall quarterback, and a defense ranked 32nd in pass rush. Nobody gets to sit on a lead with this team.

I have been breaking down Madden rosters at MaddenGuides.com since 2001, and I wrote for the official EA Sports Madden Strategy Guides for Madden NFL 09 and 10 — so when I say a roster forces you into a specific style, that comes from 25 years of coaching real football and playing this game at a high level. The Bengals force you into tempo. This roster preview leans hard into that idea because the scoring math demands it. Read the rest of this Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview with one thought in the back of your head: you are going to have to score in the 30s.

Bengals Team Info and Madden NFL 27 Rankings

2025 Record

2026 NFL Ranking

Franchise Info

That 32nd pass rush next to a 3rd ranked passing attack is the single most lopsided pairing on this roster. You can find the same split laid out for every club in our team ratings hub.

Coaching Staff

Bengals Coaching DNA in Madden NFL 27

Now here is what caught my attention. The offensive scheme fit sits at 48 percent while the defensive fit sits at 89 percent — EA is telling you outright that Zac Taylor’s personnel does not match his own play sheet.

Scheme

• Offense — West Coast Power Run. Stretches the defense sideways with short throws, then lets the back attack the space that opens up. Scheme Fit 48%.
• Defense — BASE 4-3. Four down linemen and three linebackers, built to rush with the front and drop seven. Scheme Fit 89%.

Formations

• Offense — Singleback — Deuce Close, Tight Y Off, Wing Flex Close, Wing Pair, Wing Tight Z
• Offense — I Form — Wing
• Offense — Gun — Box, Bunch Offset, Bunch Quads, Bunch Str Nasty, Bunch Trio Open, Bunch Y-Trips, Deuce Close, Doubles, Doubles Clamp Stack, Doubles HB Wk, Doubles Hip, Empty Bunch Wide, Empty Chips, Empty HB Wide, Empty Trips Speed, Normal Y Off Wk, Split Slot, Split Y Off, Spread Y-Flex, Spread Y-Slot Wk, Tight Slots, Tight Slots HB Wk, Tight Y Off, Tight Y Off Wk, Trey Open, Trey Y-Flex, U Off Trips Wk, Wing HB Wk Close, Wing Slot Offset, Wing Trips Wk Nasty, Wing Trips Wk Nasty Goose, Y Off Trio Close Wk, Y Trips Wk
• Offense — Goal Line / Hail Mary — Normal, Hail Mary
• Defense — 3-4 — Cub, Tite, Under
• Defense — 4-3 — Over, Over Solid
• Defense — Nickel — 2-4 Swap Dbl Mug, 3-3 Cub, 3-3 Dbl Mug, 3-3 Load Dbl Mug, Over, Single Mug, Wide
• Defense — Dime — Normal, Single Mug
• Defense — Prevent / Goal Line / Dollar — 3 Deep; 5-3, 6-2, Pinch; 3-2 Mug

Packages

• Offense — Playbook CIN – Z. Taylor. The Gun tree is enormous, and the Bunch and Empty families are where the real personnel packages live.
• Defense — Playbook CIN – Z. TAYLOR. Seven Nickel looks and four mug fronts give you pressure disguises the four-man rush cannot generate on its own.

Roles

• Offensive archetypes — QB Field General, HB Powerback, FB Utility, WR Physical, TE Possession, and Pass Protector across all five line spots
• Defensive archetypes — LEDG Run Stopper, REDG Power Rusher, DT Power Rusher, SAM Run Stopper, MIKE Field General, WILL Run Stopper, CB Man To Man, FS Hybrid, SS Run Support

Tendencies

• Offense — Short and horizontal by design, with the back as the finisher rather than the volume carrier
• Defense — Rush four, drop seven, keep the safeties honest and live with the coverage grades

Key Changes

• Offense — Powerback tagging on the HB spot against a 28th ranked run game means the archetype and the roster are pulling opposite directions
• Defense — Two Power Rusher tackles in Lawrence and Allen are the entire pressure plan; both edges grade below them

Coaching Summary

Status: Playoff Hopeful, with ability tiers reading 1 Hidden, 2 X-Factor, 3 Superstar, 12 Star and 56 Normal. That 48 percent offensive fit is the number I would fix first in Franchise — either draft a true power back or reassign archetypes so your speed guys stop being graded as physical possession types. The defense at 89 percent is already doing what it is built to do; it simply lacks the edge talent to make four-man pressure work. If you want the full breakdown of the Gun families in this book, our playbook breakdowns go formation by formation.

Bengals Team Ratings Preview for Madden NFL 27

The bars land almost flat — offense at 81 sits one point above defense at 80, so this is not a lopsided team on paper. The online rating of 83 is the one that jumps, and it jumps because human players get Chase and Burrow every snap while the AI spreads targets around. That single point of offensive edge tells you to play from ahead, throw on early downs, and treat the run game as a change-up rather than a plan.

Position Grade Report Card

These are EA’s own in-game position grades pulled straight off the team screen — they appear nowhere else on the web, and they read the roster differently than overall ratings do.

Offense

• LT — grade C+
• LG — grade C
• C — grade C+
• RG — grade C+
• RT — grade C+
• TE — grade C
• WR1 — grade A+
• HB — grade B
• QB — grade A+
• FB — grade C
• WR2 — grade A-

Defense

• FS — grade B-
• WILL — grade C
• MIKE — grade D
• SAM — grade D
• SS — grade C+
• CB1 — grade C+
• REDG — grade B-
• DT1 — grade A
• DT2 — grade A-
• LEDG — grade C+
• CB2 — grade B-

The two A+ marks at WR1 and QB are the strongest spots on the card, and the D at MIKE is the weakest. That combination points you at one plan: throw it to Chase, and on defense use the Nickel mug fronts so your worst linebacker is not the guy carrying a crosser down the seam. Playing this team well means accepting that the middle of your defense loses one-on-one and building your calls around hiding it.

Team Schedule

Seven of the first nine games come before the Steelers-Ravens-Browns gauntlet stacks up in the back half. Five of the last nine are AFC North games, so this season is decided in December.

• HOME — Week 1 (Sun, Sep 13) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 2 (Sun, Sep 20) — Houston Texans — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 3 (Sun, Sep 27) — Pittsburgh Steelers — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 4 (Sun, Oct 4) — Jacksonville Jaguars — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 5 (Sun, Oct 11) — Miami Dolphins — 1:00 PM ET
• Week 6 — BYE WEEK
• AWAY — Week 7 (Sun, Oct 25) — Baltimore Ravens — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 8 (Sun, Nov 1) — Tennessee Titans — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 9 (Sun, Nov 8) — Atlanta Falcons — 9:30 AM ET
• HOME — Week 10 (Sun, Nov 15) — Pittsburgh Steelers — 8:20 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 11 (Mon, Nov 23) — Washington Commanders — 8:15 PM ET
• HOME — Week 12 (Sun, Nov 29) — New Orleans Saints — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 13 (Sun, Dec 6) — Cleveland Browns — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 14 (Sun, Dec 13) — Kansas City Chiefs — 4:25 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 15 (Sun, Dec 20) — Carolina Panthers — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 16 (TBD) — Indianapolis Colts — TBD
• HOME — Week 17 (Thu, Dec 31) — Baltimore Ravens — 8:15 PM ET
• HOME — Week 18 (TBD) — Cleveland Browns — TBD

Full week-by-week slates and standings updates live over at NFL.com if you want to track the real season alongside your Franchise.

Cincinnati Bengals Roster Preview and Depth Breakdown

Here is the full roster sorted by overall. Notice how fast it drops after the top seven — that cliff is the whole story of this depth chart.

• ►Ja’Marr Chase — WR, 99
• ►Joe Burrow — QB, 97
• ►Dexter Lawrence II — DT, 93
• ►Jonathan Allen — DT, 88
• ►Tee Higgins — WR, 87
• ►DJ Turner II — CB, 83
• ►Chase Brown — HB, 82
• ►Evan McPherson — K, 81
• ►Bryan Cook — FS, 80
• ►Boye Mafe — REDG, 78
• ►Dax Hill — CB, 78
• ►Cashius Howell — LEDG, 77
• ►Kyle Dugger — SS, 77
• ►Mike Gesicki — TE, 77
• ►Amarius Mims — RT, 76
• ►B.J. Hill — DT, 76
• ►Jordan Battle — SS, 76
• ►Orlando Brown Jr — LT, 76
• ►Ted Karras — C, 76
• ►Ryan Rehkow — P, 75
• ►Samaje Perine — HB, 75
• ►Dalton Risner — RG, 74
• ►Kris Jenkins Jr — DT, 74
• ►Shemar Stewart — REDG, 74
• ►Andrei Iosivas — WR, 73
• ►Demetrius Knight Jr — WILL, 73
• ►Joe Flacco — QB, 73
• ►Myles Murphy — LEDG, 73
• ►Dylan Fairchild — LG, 72
• ►Ja’Sir Taylor — CB, 71
• ►Josh Newton — CB, 71
• ►Mitchell Tinsley — WR, 71
• ►Tacario Davis — CB, 71
• ►Tahj Brooks — HB, 71
• ►Charlie Jones — WR, 70
• ►Colbie Young — WR, 70
• ►Isaiah Foskey — LEDG, 70
• ►T.J. Slaton — DT, 70
• ►Barrett Carter — MIKE, 69
• ►Cedric Johnson — REDG, 69
• ►Connor Lew — C, 69
• ►Jordan Jefferson — DT, 69
• ►McKinnley Jackson — DT, 69
• ►Oren Burks — WILL, 69
• ►Antwaun Powell-Ryland — LEDG, 68
• ►Brian Parker II — LG, 68
• ►Cody Ford — LT, 68
• ►Drew Sample — TE, 68
• ►Erick All Jr — TE, 68
• ►Russ Yeast — FS, 68
• ►Tanner Hudson — TE, 68
• ►DJ Ivey — CB, 67
• ►Jalen Rivers — RG, 67
• ►Javon Foster — LT, 67
• ►Daijahn Anthony — FS, 66
• ►Jack Endries — TE, 66
• ►Jalen Davis — CB, 66
• ►Ke’Shawn Williams — WR, 66
• ►Landon Robinson — DT, 66
• ►Kendall Milton — HB, 65
• ►Joe Giles-Harris — SAM, 64
• ►Swayze Bozeman — MIKE, 64
• ►Gary Brightwell — HB, 63
• ►Kendric Pryor — WR, 63
• ►PJ Jules — SS, 63
• ►William Wagner — LS, 63
• ►Josh Johnson — QB, 62
• ►Liam Anderson — WILL, 62
• ►Cam Grandy — TE, 61
• ►Howard Cross III — DT, 61
• ►Shaka Heyward — MIKE, 60
• ►Andrew Coker — RT, 59
• ►Corey Robinson II — RT, 59
• ►Sean Clifford — QB, 58

Projected Starting Lineups

Offense (Base)

• LT — O.Brown Jr, 76
• LG — D.Fairchild, 72
• C — T.Karras, 76
• RG — D.Risner, 74
• RT — A.Mims, 76
• TE — M.Gesicki, 77
• WR1 — J.Chase, 99
• WR2 — T.Higgins, 87
• HB — C.Brown, 82
• FB — S.Perine, 72
• QB — J.Burrow, 97

Defense (Base)

• LEDG — C.Howell, 77
• DT1 — D.Lawrence II, 93
• DT2 — J.Allen, 88
• REDG — B.Mafe, 78
• SAM — O.Burks, 69
• MIKE — B.Carter, 69
• WILL — D.Knight Jr, 73
• CB1 — D.Turner II, 83
• CB2 — D.Hill, 78
• FS — B.Cook, 80
• SS — K.Dugger, 77

Every linebacker slot starts in the 60s or low 70s while both defensive tackles start in the high 80s and low 90s. That is a front-heavy defense with a soft second level, which is why zone drops out of Nickel work better here than base 4-3 man calls.

Roster Snapshot

Offensive Impact Players

Ja’Marr Chase at 99 overall and Joe Burrow at 97 are the two highest-graded players on the roster, and they make every other decision for you. Tee Higgins at 87 gives you a legitimate second contested-catch target on the boundary, which means a defense that doubles Chase has to trust a corner one-on-one with an A- graded receiver. Chase Brown at 82 is the release valve — his value is on checkdowns and screens out of Gun Doubles, not between the tackles against a loaded box.

Defensive Impact Players

Dexter Lawrence II at 93 and Jonathan Allen at 88 are the two best defenders and they play next to each other on the interior. DJ Turner II at 83 is your only above-average cover man, so he travels with the opponent’s top receiver on every meaningful third down. Beyond those three, the drop-off is steep enough that user control matters more here than on almost any other roster.

X-Factors and Superstars

Two X-Factors and three Superstars carry this team. Learn what each ability actually triggers, because these five players are the reason a 6-11 roster can beat much better teams.

Ja’Marr Chase (WR, 99 OVR) — Double Me

Wins aggressive catches vs. single coverage. Also: Runoff Elite, Acrobat, Quick Jump, Mid In Elite, Mid Out Elite.

Joe Burrow (QB, 97 OVR) — Run & Gun

Grants elite passing while on the run. Also: Sideline Deadeye, Fearless, Gunslinger.

Dexter Lawrence II (DT, 93 OVR) — El Toro

Slightly improved bull rush wins from max stamina. Also: Interior Threat.

Jonathan Allen (DT, 88 OVR) — Run Stopper

Shed attempts are free on run plays.

Tee Higgins (WR, 87 OVR) — Acrobat

Improved tipped ball catching. Also: Quick Jump, Deep Out Elite.

Double Me is the one to build around. It only pays off against single coverage, so your job pre-snap is to force a single-high look — motion Higgins across, watch the safety rotate, and if the far safety stays put, Chase is live on the aggressive catch.

Madden Gameplay & Franchise Outlook

Offensive Scheme

The West Coast Power Run book wants you horizontal first. Live in Gun Bunch Y-Trips and Gun Doubles Hip, where the mesh and drive concepts pull linebackers sideways and open the dig behind them. With a 17th ranked blocking unit, five-step drops get you hit — so hitch, slant, and stick routes on the three-step timing are the reads that actually complete. The run game at 28th is a tempo tool, nothing more.

Defensive Scheme

Ranked 32nd in pass rush and 31st in coverage, the base 4-3 four-man rush will not get home on its own. Move to the Nickel mug fronts — 3-3 Dbl Mug and Single Mug — and show pressure with both inside linebackers, then drop one into the hook. Lawrence and Allen create interior push, so the mug look forces the center to declare and gives one of your tackles a one-on-one. Real football tape at ESPN NFL shows the same principle: pressure comes from confusion, not from four rushers beating five blockers.

Franchise Mode Strategy

With $16.3M in cap space, you cannot rebuild the front seven in one offseason. Spend the first draft on an edge rusher and the second on a MIKE — those are the two D grades dragging the whole defense down. Progress Barrett Carter at 69 rather than signing a stopgap, since he is already in the lineup. More long-form franchise strategy breakdowns cover the rebuild math team by team.

Playing Online

That online rating of 83 sits three points above the 80 overall, and the reason is simple: online opponents feed Chase and Burrow every snap. You are a strong pick in head-to-head and a shaky one if you expect to get stops. Play fast, score first, and force the other guy to throw against Turner. Our Madden tips and guides library goes deeper on tempo control in online play.

Cincinnati Bengals Strengths and Weaknesses

Team Strengths

Passing at 3rd and team speed at 9th are the two rankings that define this roster. A 99 overall receiver with Double Me, a 97 overall quarterback with Run & Gun, and an 87 overall second target give you three ways to attack single coverage on the same play. Interior defense is a real strength too — Lawrence at A and Allen at A- mean inside runs against you get stuffed without extra help. Blocking at 17th is middle of the pack, which is enough for quick-game protection.

Team Weaknesses

Pass rush at 32nd and coverage at 31st is the worst combination in the game — no pressure and no one to cover while you wait. Linebacker grades of D at MIKE and D at SAM mean crossers and seam routes come open every snap you play zone with the AI. Rushing at 28th removes your ability to close out a game on the ground. You will win shootouts and lose grind-it-out games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Bengals good in Madden NFL 27?

They are an 80 overall team with an 83 online rating, which makes them stronger in head-to-head play than the record suggests. The offense at 81 and defense at 80 are close, but the defensive rankings — 32nd pass rush, 31st coverage — mean you have to outscore people rather than stop them.

Who are the best players on the Bengals roster?

Ja’Marr Chase at 99 overall and Joe Burrow at 97 overall are both X-Factors. Dexter Lawrence II at 93 and Jonathan Allen at 88 anchor the interior defensive line, and Tee Higgins at 87 gives you a second Superstar receiver.

What playbook should I run with Cincinnati?

The CIN – Z. Taylor book is built around a huge Gun tree with heavy Bunch and Empty families. Gun Bunch Y-Trips and Gun Doubles Hip give you the horizontal stretch concepts that the West Coast Power Run scheme is designed to run.

How do I fix the Bengals defense in Franchise?

Draft an edge rusher first and a MIKE linebacker second. With $16.3M in cap space you cannot buy your way out, so use the Nickel mug packages to manufacture pressure while you develop Barrett Carter and the young edge group.

Is this Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview based on the final Madden NFL 27 ratings?

Yes — every rating, grade, and depth chart entry here is read directly off the in-game screens for the current Madden NFL 27 roster, including EA’s own position grades that do not appear anywhere else online.

Final Thoughts

Let me show you something here. The Bengals are one of the few teams in Madden NFL 27 where the ratings, the grades, and the rankings all tell the exact same story without contradicting each other. Elite at two positions, average across the line, and genuinely bad in the middle of the defense. Play them like a track meet and you will have fun. Play them like a defensive team and you will lose by two scores. The AFC North schedule with five division games in the back half is going to punish anyone who tries the second approach.

Grab the playbook breakdowns, ratings hubs, and team-by-team guides over at MaddenGuides.com and go run this offense the way it was built to be run.