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Cincinnati Bengals coaches continue to have big plans for first-round safety Dax Hill.
Fans have seen some of that already with Jessie Bates still a holdout. Hill has received the first-team reps in camp and during preseason games, even taking snaps in the slot in things like three-safety looks.
That’s merely a preview of what coaches want to do once Bates returns.
“That’s really what we started doing early was just playing him at free safety and let him ease into life in the NFL just doing that in the spring time and early in training camp,” Taylor said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “He’s not as comfortable as he’s going to be with more experience but start to expand that role a little bit. That’s been exciting to see him utilize his skill set and learn different ways and different positions. I feel like he is going to be very valuable for us.” …
The idea of a rookie defender being able to “ease” into the NFL while trying to cover an offense that boasts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, among others, is pretty funny.
But it only reinforces the idea Hill will be plenty ready once the regular season rolls around and he’s playing all over the place while Bates commands that typical rangy safety role.
And as always, should Bates not re-up with the team, Hill will receive invaluable reps before he eventually takes over the role full time as a sophomore.
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