The optimism around Cincinnati about the Bengals in 2026 has crossed the threshold from cautious to concerning.Feeling this good about the local football club days before the opener doesn’t sit well around these parts. Years of heartbreak and scar tissue produced real intuition.This feels too good to be true for Bengals fans.There are no distractions, there’s a rejuvenated pass rush, a division in transition, an easy schedule, five starters returning up front, mean Joe Burrow making comparisons to 2019 LSU, near-perfect health and, oh yeah, Dexter Lawrence.Bengals new captains symbolize a dramatic shiftPaul Dehner Jr.The foundation and structure of the 2026 Bengals are the strongest they’ve been since 2022, coming off the Super Bowl. Even the two historically fatal problems for the Bengals now have quality solutions.Joe Flacco is back (collecting a cool $6 million) in case the Burrow injury strikes again. The front office threw every asset imaginable at a defensive line capable of coming in waves and covering warts.The urgency in the building and the locker room has been palpable, in large part because Burrow refuses to let off the gas. His aggressive leadership style and prognostications are not social catnip. They are genuine, impactful and drove what veteran Bengals dubbed the toughest camp in the Zac Taylor era.There’s real cohesiveness and a sense of purpose that’s developed since the Lawrence trade sent shockwaves throughout the NFL and the home locker room at Paycor Stadium.It’s fair to have flashbacks to the unraveling of the past three seasons. Those memories haven’t faded, and the broken trust should leave a healthy hesitancy about what comes next.Forgetting the past and merely assessing the present, the Bengals are contenders and should be viewed as such.On paper, a defense with an invigorated Lawrence at the center, one-on-one winners along the edges, a true shutdown corner in D.J. Turner and veterans on the back end projects to a solid group, not one responsible for another lost fall.This feels different in 2026. This feels real. This feels like there’s reason to believe the recent past doesn’t apply anymore.Will the Bengals eclipse the Ravens for the AFC North title?Mike DeFaboThe plea since losing the AFC Championship Game to end the 2022 season was to keep putting Burrow in January and see what happens.After three years away, Burrow should be back in the playoffs again. What happens next is what the football world — especially frighteningly optimistic Bengals fans — has been awaiting.In my crystal ball, Cincinnati goes 12-5, wins the AFC North and makes a playoff run. There’s just too much going right internally to think it will fail.