Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Back Roundup: Will Lou Anarumo's Secondary Be Even Better This Season?

The Bengals' secondary has plenty of new faces this season.

Blake Jewell | Sep 3, 2023

Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Back Roundup: Will Lou Anarumo's Secondary Be Even Better This Season? /

In this story:

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals had quite the shakeup in their secondary this past offseason, losing both their starting safeties in Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell. They also chose to get younger at cornerback, which meant not re-signing Eli Apple or Tre Flowers.

The Bengals signed safety Nick Scott in free agency and took Jordan Battle in the third-round (95th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft. They also selected cornerbacks DJ Turner II and DJ Ivey in the second and seventh round, respectively.

They have a collection of young players poised to upgrade their roles in the secondary in 2023, including their former first round pick Dax Hill.

The secondary in Cincinnati will have a different look this season, but they seem to have done enough to bring a talented group to the table under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

Here are the 2023 Bengals defensive backs and how they could contribute to the team this upcoming season:

Cornerbacks:

Chidobe Awuzie

With the influx of new and young talent the Bengals will be relying on this season, getting Awuzie back on the field will give the secondary a huge boost.

The 28 year old tore his ACL on Halloween, causing him to miss nine regular season games and the playoffs. The good news is Awuzie has aced his recovery and he's on track to start for the Bengals in their season opener against the Browns.

The Bengals aren’t just getting back veteran leadership from Awuzie, they are getting a very good cornerback. In just his eight games played last season, Awuzie earned a 73.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. In 2021, he earned a 84.2 coverage grade.

The biggest question mark for the Bengals cornerback is how well he’s recovered from his knee injury, but if he returns to his old form, he’s a player you can trust to cover the opponents best receiver and will also be a veteran leader for this young Bengals secondary.

Cam Taylor-Britt

The second-year cornerback is widely considered a potential break-out player for the 2023 season, and it absolutely checks out. The former second round pick stepped up for the Bengals after Awuzie went down, and he’s primed to massively improve this season.

Taylor-Britt certainly held his own last season against the best receivers the Bengals were matched up against, and now with Awuzie back in the fold, Taylor-Britt can settle in his role as a CB2 and really shine.

Despite posting an average coverage grade (60.5) last season, he was a key defensive player for the Bengals and their playoff run. He provided consistency both in coverage and tackling. Taylor-Britt improved every time he stepped on the field, which is a great sign that he’ll have a huge improvement in his first offseason in the NFL.

Mike Hilton

Hilton is one of the most underrated players on this roster. He’s proved time and time again that he’s one of the top slot cornerbacks in the league and he’s had several big-time moments in his time in Cincinnati.

The 29 year old veteran finished seventh on the team in tackles, including an impressive four tackles for loss. Two of which came in a big game against the Titans where Hilton single-handedly stopped star running back Derrick Henry in the backfield.

Mike Hilton with his first TFL of the game. Making a solo run stop against Derrick Henry is insane for a corner. pic.twitter.com/PbaqcsfPm3
— mike (@bengals_sans) November 28, 2022

Hilton has been very reliable in coverage and his abilities as a tackler have made him one of the key members of this impressive Bengals defense. Overall, he offers consistency in both pass defense and run defense and essentially acts as an anchor for the Bengals secondary. The same should be expected of him once again this upcoming season.

DJ Turner II

The Bengals added Turner with the 60th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Michigan Wolverine is a freak athlete, running a 4.26 40 yard-dash at the combine, which was the fastest time of any player at the combine.

Turner also offers a lot as a man coverage cornerback. His athleticism is complimented by very well-refined technical skills in coverage.

The Bengals top three cornerbacks are pretty well set in stone for the 2023 season, but Turner’s ability in coverage, versatility, and ability to tackle make him a great option off the bench or even stepping in on the outside if Awuzie or Taylor-Britt have to miss any time. The rookie will get some snaps this season, and he’ll be one of the more intriguing members of this team as we see how his talent translates in the NFL. While he seemed to be more of a draft selection for the future, I expect him to be a regular contributor as a rookie.

Jalen Davis

Davis serves as the backup to Hilton in the slot. He played 50 defensive snaps last season, earning a 63.5 coverage grade.

While we haven’t seen much from Davis in the three years that he’s been in Cincinnati, he seems like he could be a solid option behind Hilton. He’s been a willing tackler and appears to be good enough in coverage. For the 2023 season he’ll likely offer more as a special teams player, where he played 86 snaps for the Bengals last season.

DJ Ivey

The Bengals selected Ivey in the seventh round (246th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft and he made the initial 53 man roster, which is a signal that he’ll be a key player on special teams in Cincinnati this season.

Ivey had a pretty solid resume coming out of Miami and impressed throughout training camp. He projects more as a special teams player and depth piece, but his talent suggests he’ll have plenty of chances to earn snaps as his career progresses.

Safeties:

Dax Hill

Hill is a very intriguing player for the Bengals this season. He was drafted in the first round in 2022 to replace Bates when he inevitably left in free agency. With Bates gone, Hill will have the free safety spot to himself.

Hill had a weird season in 2022. He played 131 snaps as a rookie, but he bounced around. He took snaps at outside corner, nickel and safety. Due to the talent in front of him, we never really got a look at Hill playing his true position at safety.

He did have some flashes last season that suggest he could be a very good safety for the Bengals, and he carried that over to this preseason.

This is INCREDIBLE range for a post safety. What a play by Dax Hill. I can't wait to see this on all-22.pic.twitter.com/exgOZ9AEH6
— mike (@bengals_sans) August 12, 2023

Overall, he’s flashed several times, in spite of his inconsistent roles on this defense, but with his chance as a full-time safety this season, he could be a breakout player for the Bengals in 2023.

Jordan Battle

The Bengals picked up safety Battle with their 3rd round selection (95th overall) in the 2023 Draft. He’s advertised as NFL ready, and is one of their most polished rookies.

The rookie will bring versatility, high football IQ, and overall solid play to the Bengals defense this year. He was a great selection to help fill the void of Bates and Bell.

While Scott isn’t a player that should be written off, especially since he'll start alongside Hill early in the season, I believe Battle will be a big contributor to this defense in 2023. He certainly has the talent to take over Bell’s role at strong safety and I expect him to play at a high level this upcoming season.

Nick Scott

The Bengals signed Scott to a three-year contract to help fill the void when Bates and Bell left in free agency. Scott started 16 games for the Rams last season, and although he ended up with a disappointing 43.4 coverage grade, he earned an impressive 77.0 run defense grade.

I expect Scott to play a versatile role in 2023. The Bengals aren’t really boxed in with designating certain players to free and strong safety roles, as they have three players that can play either position. I see Scott getting reps at both spots.

Even with losing two really good safeties, the Bengals should have plenty of options and ways to fill those gaps this year.

Tycen Anderson

The Bengals traded up in the fifth round of the 2022 draft to select Anderson. He missed his rookie season with an injury, but looks to be a solid depth option for the Bengals this year.

Anderson is an above-average athlete who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine. He’s another versatile option, and could find his way to a decent amount of snaps this upcoming season.

Good for Tycen Anderson. Pick Six👀

pic.twitter.com/lQCaA2UPil
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) August 12, 2023

The second-year safety also had an impressive preseason, including a game against the Packers where he intercepted the ball twice and ran one back for a touchdown.

Catch NFL football on fuboTV throughout the 2023 season! Start your free trial here.

For more on the Bengals, watch the video below and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

Contract Worries? Joe Burrow's Return to Practice Should Ease Concern

Joe Burrow Shares Hilarious Photo Following Return to Bengals Practice: 'He's Back'

Bengals Film Breakdown: Andrei Iosivas' Growth, Development and Where He Can Improve

Ja'Marr Chase Reacts to Joe Burrow's Practice Return: ‘When Joe's Out There It's a Little More Dialed In’

Watch: Premiere of Bengals All Access Show 'From the Jungle'

Look: Bengals Sign 14 Players to Practice Squad

Report: Former Bengals Wide Receiver Trent Taylor Signs With Chicago Bears

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith: Bengals 'Should Not be Flying Under Anybody's Radar'