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When the Cincinnati Bengals drafted safety Jordan Battle in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, we wrote that he could be a quiet contender for immediate playing time.
Based on a first look at Bengals OTAs, it sure appears that’s at least an outside possibility.
Reports from the practice sessions open to reporters said that Battle took reps with the first-team defense alongside last year’s first-round pick, Dax Hill.
Some of this undoubtedly had to do with a minor injury new arrival Nick Scott continues to work through. But it was apparent Bengals coaches were using these lighter-based OTA sessions to let rookies get some quality experience alongside veterans.
In addition to these details, CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia caught some of the interview with Battle:
Jordan Battle learning fast on second day of Bengals OTAs Tuesday pic.twitter.com/0fU0Xltivv
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 6, 2023
This doesn’t cement anything in the defensive backfield one way or another, outside of the idea Battle could be more involved than a typical third-round pick — if not more so if he performs well enough during training camp all summer.
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