The Cincinnati Bengals gambled at the safety position last year. They not only lost, they lost bad.
Upon losing both Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell a year ago this month, Cincinnati felt ready to replace both by elevating Dax Hill and signing Nick Scott in free agency. They also drafted Jordan Battle to round out a trio with upside.
A season of allowing explosive plays and missed tackles ensued. Hill struggled to find consistency, Scott was essentially benched for Battle, and the Bengals sound like they're not trying to relive that nightmare again.
This is not to say that neither Hill nor Battle are poor players now, or will be poor this season. They simply cannot enter the 2024 season without establishing a sense of security at the position. That means replacing Scott with a new veteran player.
Bengals are right to desire a new veteran free agent safety
To best maximize both Hill and Battle in 2024, a more capable veteran to replace Scott to play the traditional free/post safety would go a long way.
Cincinnati.com's Kelsey Conway reports that is what the Bengals are looking for.
"League sources tell The Enquirer the Bengals are checking in and have shown interest in the safety market ahead of free agency. This makes sense given the uncertainty of where Hill fits in Cincinnati’s defense. It seems highly likely the Bengals will address the safety position with a veteran." - Cincinnati.com's Kelsey Conway
This doesn't have to break the bank, especially with free agency dollars expected to be spent on defensive tackle and offensive tackle, but the Bengals need trust at the position after last year's debacle. Communication errors led to too many instances of bad positioning, and the athleticism of both Hill and Scott wasn't enough to compensate for it.
Scott, unfortunately, has never been a reliable starter at the position. The Bengals believed they could make him one instantly only to be proven vastly wrong. Remedying this by cutting and replacing him would not only better the defense as a whole, it could salvage their decision to spend a first-round pick on Hill.
Dax Hill can find his true role with a new safety in the mix
Should the Bengals sign a true safety in free agency, the path for playing Hill close to the line of scrimmage becomes clear. He was the team's best defender against tight ends in 2023 and made several impact plays when aligned in or around the box. He's got tremendous quickness and takes great angles thanks to instincts he developed playing a similar position as a college player at Michigan. He's always been a projection at a free safety in comparison.
But wait, wouldn't that mean Hill is no longer one of the Bengals' two "true" safeties? Yes, but this isn't so cut-and-dry. Battle would continue to be a half-field safety, befitting for his skillset, and a capable free safety would play alongside him deep in the secondary.
Hill would still see the field, and for most of the game as well.
Against 11 and 12 personnel, the two most common offensive personnel groupings, the Bengals ranked eighth in the league in two separate "Dime" personnel packages, one with three defensive linemen on the field, and the other with four (per Sports Info Solutions).
"Dime" personnel entails six defensive backs on the field, which is typically either four cornerbacks and two safeties, or three of each. Three of each is considered "Big Dime."
The Bengals were already among the league leaders in using "Big Dime" last year, and that includes the final weeks of the season when Scott hardly played. They could play even more of this grouping featuring two safeties deep and Hill acting as the third near the line of scrimmage.
Signing a veteran safety to replace Scott, who should not be on the team this season, would be a clear signal that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo does not want to watch last season's mistakes repeat themselves. Hill can be utilized properly, and Battle would get plenty of playing time as well.
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