Lots of movement in the safety room.
The Cincinnati Bengals had issues with their safety room last season.
Following the departure of Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, Dax Hill was thrust in to a full-time starting role at deep safety. Nick Scott tried to fill Bell’s role but was replaced by Jordan Battle midseason. Battle played well but still showed signs of being a rookie.
Fast-forward to this off-season. The Bengals signed Geno Stone away from the division rival Baltimore Ravens, and suddenly, Bell was back after being released by the Carolina Panthers.
Where does that leave Hill? In his time at the University of Michigan, Hill played both safety spots and found himself playing cornerback both on the boundary and in the slot. Will the Bengals move Hill to corner to try to help replace the production from Chidobe Awuzie?
Regardless of what the plan is, it sounds like Hill is ready. When asked if the front office kept in touch with him as they added safeties, Hill said they did.
“They definitely did,” Hill said this week. “And I appreciate that, just having that conversation before things turned out. So really just hearing them out with why they did the things they did and really just still being myself.”
When it comes to his play on the field, Hill knows there are areas where he can improve and appears to have the right attitude about the entire situation.
“I knew I had to take a next step for this season,” he said. “It’s always good to look at the things you did last year and figure some things out. I feel like that’s important to grow. So I guess the next step is…start right now and be the best version of myself. That’s what I try to put on day in and day out whatever guys call me to do, I’m gonna do that.”
Hill is very talented and is in a defense where Lou Anarumo has shown that he likes to be creative with defensive backs. We could see Hill back up Mike Hilton in the slot, play close to the line and rush the passer or play traditional cornerback roles this season.
Either way, it sounds like Hill is ready for whatever the team needs.
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