Bengals designate starting CB for return

Cam Taylor-Britt is returning to practice Wednesday. The second-year corner has been on IR for the past four weeks; an ankle injury has cost him five games since late November. The Bengals saw some second-season promise from the former second-round pick, and they will see if he is ready to return for their Week 17 tilt against the Chiefs.

This ankle injury marked Taylor-Britt’s second IR stint of his short career. The Nebraska product started his rookie season on IR due to a core muscle injury, but the team made him a starter shortly after he debuted. Taylor-Britt has started 19 of the 20 NFL games he has played, working as a first-stringer in Cincinnati’s three playoff games last year. The Bengals have taken a step back in pass defense this season, ranking 28th, and are coming off a game in which the Mason Rudolph–George Pickens combination erupted.

Taylor-Britt intercepted four passes before going on IR. While the Bengals have not replaced Jessie Bates effectively at safety, they are fairly deep at corner. The team has Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie on veteran contracts and used a first-round pick on DJ Turner last year. Pro Football Focus has the latter ranked outside the top 100, however. Despite Taylor-Britt’s four thefts, PFF slots him 83rd overall. A poor run-defense grade is chiefly responsible for Taylor-Britt’s placement.

With Burrow now the NFL’s highest-paid player, Taylor-Britt and Turner represent important pieces in the long term. Both 2022 draftees can be kept on rookie contracts through the 2025 season. Awuzie is playing out a contract year, while Hilton is signed through 2024. Awuzie, who returned from an ACL tear this season, had lost his job to Turner midway through the campaign. But the ex-Cowboys regular returned to a first-string role once Taylor-Britt went down. The Bengals are close to having their top four options available, but at 8-7, they are still a long shot to book a playoff berth. ESPN’s FPI gives Cincy an 18.9% chance to qualify.