2020 Bengals Schedule: Examining Top Defenses Joe Burrow Will Face with New Team

Joe Burrow was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft on Thursday night, and now the question is just how he'll fare in his rookie season. 

There's another question worth asking, however: What defenses will he be facing? And which units may give him the most trouble?

First, let's take a look at Cincy's 2020 opponents, along with their defensive rankings (yards and points allowed per game) from last season:

Home Games:

• Baltimore Ravens: 300.6 YPG (fourth), 17.6 PPG (third)
  
• Cleveland Browns: 361.6 YPG (22nd), 24.6 PPG (20th)
• Dallas Cowboys: 327.0 YPG (ninth),  20.1 PPG (11th)
  
• Jacksonville Jaguars: 375.4 YPG (24th),  24.8 PPG (21st)
  
• New York Giants: 377.3 YPG (25th),  28.2 PPG (30th)
• Pittsburgh Steelers: 304.1 YPG (fifth), 18.9 PPG (fifth)
  
• Tennessee Titans: 359.5 YPG (21st),  20.7 PPG (12th)
  
• Los Angeles Chargers: 313.1 YPG (sixth),  21.6 PPG (14th)
  

Away Games:

• Baltimore Ravens: 300.6 YPG (fourth), 17.6 PPG (third)
• Cleveland Browns: 361.6 YPG (22nd), 24.6 PPG (20th)
  
• Houston Texans: 388.3 YPG (28th),  24.1 PPG (19th)
  
• Indianapolis Colts: 346.8 YPG (16th),  23.3 PPG (18th)
  
• Philadelphia Eagles: 331.7 YPG (10th),  22.1 PPG (15th)
  
• Pittsburgh Steelers: 304.1 YPG (fifth), 18.9 PPG (fifth)
  
• Washington: 385.1 YPG (27th),  27.2 PPG (27th)
  
• Miami Dolphins: 397.8 YPG (30th), 30.9 PPG (32nd)
  

All things considered, this is a relatively soft schedule for Burrow in his rookie year, at least in terms of the defenses he'll face.

Four games against elites defenses in Baltimore and Pittsburgh will present difficulties, while the Cowboys, Eagles and Chargers all have solid units. Washington should be improved, and the Titans were better defensively than their numbers suggest.

In matchups against the Texans, New England Patriots and Ravens between Week 17 and the divisional round of the AFC playoffs, the Titans gave up an average of 13 points against two dynamic offenses and a Patriots unit led by Tom Brady. Not too shabby, and probably a better measure of what they are capable of on the defensive side of the ball. 

Other teams improved in free agency. Miami should be better in 2019 (it couldn't be much worse) after adding cornerback Byron Jones, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and edge-rushers Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah. 

The Colts made the biggest move of teams on this list, trading for defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, a  move that will dramatically improve their front seven. The Eagles also improved the interior of their defense, signing Javon Hargrave. 

And the Chargers bolstered their pass defense by signing cornerback Chris Harris Jr. 

But those divisional games against the Ravens and Steelers will really test Burrow. The Bengals went 0-4 against those two teams last year, averaging a measly 10.7 points per game.

Baltimore is loaded with stars like Calais Campbell, Matthew Judon, Earl Thomas and Marcus Peters. Pittsburgh's defense is just as nasty, led by Cameron Hayward, T.J. Watt, Steven Nelson and Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

Neither defense will be much fun to face. 

Granted, the hope will be that Burrow dramatically improves the team's offense, along with the return of star wideout A.J. Green. Add in Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon and the Bengals should be better than the offense that averaged a putrid 323.1 yards (26th) and 17.4 points (30th) per game. 

If Burrow is as NFL-ready as he appears to be, the schedule he'll face next year won't be overwhelming. And games against the Steelers and Ravens will really showcase just how ready he is for the crucible of the NFL.