Bengals positions to feel confident about
Cornerbacks
The Cincinnati Bengals have a great group of cornerbacks with solid depth. Adding Darius Phillips and Davontae Adams to the depth makes me even more confident in the group. The team finally moved on from former cornerback Adam Jones this offseason, and their top three starters have potential to be a top unit in the league in 2018.
Many fans have already written off Dre Kirkpatrick after one down season. Kirkpatrick suffered numerous injuries after coming into training camp with a broken hand. Throughout the season he suffered injuries to his shoulder, hamstring, and hip. All of his injuries played a huge role in his decline last season, and I expect him to have a bounce-back season in Teryl Austin’s new defense.
William Jackson III and Darqueze Dennard both had breakout seasons for the Bengals. Jackson was one of the top cornerbacks in coverage rated by Pro Football Focus. I would like to see him shadow top receivers this year as he played well against top names like Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Brown. Dennard will play in the slot looking to earn a significant long-term deal following the season.
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Darius Phillips is my favorite day three pick by the Bengals in the 2018 NFL Draft. He will spend most of his time as a contributor on special teams but can step in on defense if needed. The former Western Michigan corner has played both sides of the ball and loved to attack the ball at the catch point. He has impressed at OTA’s this offseason, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays some defensive snaps this year for the Bengals.