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The Cincinnati Bengals have changed much for the better this offseason.
But one big hurdle remains: Dax Hill’s position.
We broke down before the NFL draft that the Bengals are playing with fire if they move Hill again. This is a guy who was drafted in the first round, then moved from safety to inside corner to the boundary and all around again.
And it needs to stop: Even Hill is tired of it.
For the first time since entering the NFL, Hill just took a stand on the topic during an interview at his locker this week.
“Staying at one spot, I feel like that’s ideal for development and my mental health… I want to be outside,” Hill said, according to Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media. “Once you feel like you’re growing and producing, I feel like the sky’s the limit… I want to make the most out of it.”
Maybe the Bengals have already told Hill that’s the plan. But coaches have previously talked about being open to moving him back inside. And the team didn’t exactly address slot cornerback in free agency or the draft very well.
Last year, Hill looked like a breakout from Week 9 onward while playing the boundary. If that continues, he and DJ Turner would give the Bengals two strong starters at premium positions most teams never fill well.
They have, though, repeatedly flopped attempting to find a slot starter since Mike Hilton left. Josh Newton didn’t work out, the arrival of Ja'Sir Taylor doesn’t move the needle much and Jalen Davis shouldn’t be an unquestioned starter.
Hill’s position, and long-term contracts for him and Turner, were two of the big possible hurdles the Bengals could stumble into this summer. While the franchise has been aggressive and changed its behavior to win right now, the handling of the cornerback spot on the field and in the negotiating room continues to stick out as things to watch.
Hill, at least, has understandably thrown his weight around now after years of quietly moving all over the place for the betterment of the team.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Dax Hill reveals what spot he wants to play, Bengals need to listen
Continue reading...
But one big hurdle remains: Dax Hill’s position.
We broke down before the NFL draft that the Bengals are playing with fire if they move Hill again. This is a guy who was drafted in the first round, then moved from safety to inside corner to the boundary and all around again.
And it needs to stop: Even Hill is tired of it.
For the first time since entering the NFL, Hill just took a stand on the topic during an interview at his locker this week.
“Staying at one spot, I feel like that’s ideal for development and my mental health… I want to be outside,” Hill said, according to Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media. “Once you feel like you’re growing and producing, I feel like the sky’s the limit… I want to make the most out of it.”
Maybe the Bengals have already told Hill that’s the plan. But coaches have previously talked about being open to moving him back inside. And the team didn’t exactly address slot cornerback in free agency or the draft very well.
Last year, Hill looked like a breakout from Week 9 onward while playing the boundary. If that continues, he and DJ Turner would give the Bengals two strong starters at premium positions most teams never fill well.
They have, though, repeatedly flopped attempting to find a slot starter since Mike Hilton left. Josh Newton didn’t work out, the arrival of Ja'Sir Taylor doesn’t move the needle much and Jalen Davis shouldn’t be an unquestioned starter.
Hill’s position, and long-term contracts for him and Turner, were two of the big possible hurdles the Bengals could stumble into this summer. While the franchise has been aggressive and changed its behavior to win right now, the handling of the cornerback spot on the field and in the negotiating room continues to stick out as things to watch.
Hill, at least, has understandably thrown his weight around now after years of quietly moving all over the place for the betterment of the team.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Dax Hill reveals what spot he wants to play, Bengals need to listen
Continue reading...
