2023 Cincinnati Bengals Season Awards: Most Improved Player

There were a number of Bengals players who took strides in 2023—especially with so many new faces getting snaps. Cast your vote and sound off on your 2023 Bengals Most Improved Player!

“Most improved” can mean a number of things to different people. Is it an ascension from role player to starter? Starter to Pro Bowler? Or is someone getting their first chance to shine and taking advantage of the opportunity?

Well, there is a little bit of everything with the 2023 Cincinnati Bengals and this award. Check out the nominees, cast your vote, and sound off on your winner!

Jake Browning, Quarterback:

The aspect of a player not getting playing time from the year prior skews the lens of this award, but the team’s backup quarterback has to be in the running here. Browning had 15 total touchdowns (12 passing, three rushing), nearly 2,000 passing yards, and another 127 on the ground. A 98.4 passer rating and a 70.4 completion percentage after not taking a regular-season snap in the NFL make it all pretty impressive.

Tanner Hudson, Tight End:

Speaking of a guy with little or no experience, Hudson fits that bill, too. Before getting a higher-profile role a few weeks into the season, Hudson had 15 career catches for 199 yards.

After grabbing a tight end floating between a No. 1 and No. 2, Hudson notched 39 receptions for 352 yards and a score for the Bengals this year. He should have a role on this team next year as a rotational pass-catcher in third down and red zone situations.

Jonah Williams, Offensive Tackle:

There are elements of Williams’ play that won’t readily point to huge improvement, but the eyeball test showed that there was a steadiness at right tackle we haven’t seen since the early portion of Riley Reiff’s brief career with the Bengals. After a tumultuous offseason because of the Orlando Brown, Jr. signing and subsequent position change, Williams has made the offseason discussion at right tackle interesting for the Bengals, as they continue to seek a long-term solution.

Cordell Volson, Offensive Guard:

While there were still some sophomore bumps in the road, Volson did show marked improvement—particularly in the later parts of the season. He raised his rookie overall Pro Football Focus score by nearly seven full points and cut down his penalties from five to three.

Cam Taylor-Britt, Cornerback:

We saw some flashes of the potential late in 2022 with their second-round pick, but people were wondering how “CTB” would respond to being a full-time starter. Well, when Taylor-Britt was healthy this year, he played at a Pro Bowl level. Taylor-Britt had 11 passes defended, 50 total tackles, and four interceptions in 2023, shutting down some quality receivers in the process. He also was recently tabbed as the team’s most improved player by PFF.