Bengals rookie named 2024 'breakout candidate'

The Bengals must continue to rely on several of their young players in 2024 after making Joe Burrow the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history last offseason. That's why Pro Football Focus named one of Cincinnati's rookies a 2024 breakout candidate.

PFF named safety Jordan Battle, the Bengals 2023 third-round pick, an "early breakout candidate" for next season.

"Battle was one of the highest-graded college safeties heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, and while he ... didn't get a starting job until Week 11 of his rookie season, all of those strong metrics remained," PFF's Jonathon Macri writes. "He should be locked in as a full-time starter to kick off 2024 and continue his impressive play for the Bengals."

Although Battle didn't start until late in the season, he was still about to put together an impressive rookie year with 71 tackles, two sacks, one interception and five passes defensed.

The emergence of Battle doesn't just help the team short term, but it can benefit it in the long run as well.

Cincinnati is projected to have $59.43M in salary cap space in 2024, per PFF. But the team has several key upcoming free agents, including WR Tee Higgins, WR Tyler Boyd, DT D.J. Reader and CB Chidobe Awuzie. If it hopes to retain all of them, it will need to clear up some more cap space. 

The Bengals signed veteran safety Nick Scott to a three-year deal last offseason. But they could cut the soon-to-be 29-year-old with Battle and safety Dax Hill seemingly locked into the starting lineup. Moving on from Scott would save the team $2.3M in 2024 and $4.3M in 2025, per Spotrac.

Just a year ago, Cincinnati's starting safeties were veterans Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell. And although they have had success on their new teams, the Bengals have been able to quickly rebound at the position thanks to Battle, whose future looks bright.