Who are the Bengals breakout candidates in 2021?
The Cincinnati Bengals have a handful of notable breakout candidates going into the 2021 season. Thats par for the course for a smaller-market team that doesnt get a ton of national attention, especially since it hasnt been very good for a number of years. Add in a complete roster overhaul and the breakout potential is huge. Interestingly, Jay Morrison of The Atheltic just tabbed Jessie Bates as the teams biggest breakout candidate, citing the lack of attention and snubs for his elite play so far:  Bates could reset the safety market heading into his contract year. A Pro Bowl snub in 2020, Bates had a great season despite playing behind the worst pass rush in the league. But the Bengals invested in the defensive line through free agency and the draft, which should result in a lot more pressures and sacks. And that, in turn, will create opportunities for Bates to have more game-changing moments to go along with his consistently high level of play.  Bates could certainly end up breaking out on a national scale in 2021  and he could certainly improve as his surroundings do too and hes not trying to put out so many fires at once. Still, other interesting breakout candidates include:  OT Jonah Williams  TE Drew Sample  DE Sam Hubbard  LB Logan Wilson  When it comes to Bates, hes already very clearly one of the best in the NFL at what he does. Williams and the rest listed above still have a chance to reach that sort of same peak. And the Bengals have to hope they do too, given the investments used to get those players and their importance to a turnaround.