Can Nick Vigil continue to improve in 2018?
By Jack Lane
Nick Vigil will likely be a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018. However, Vigil needs to improve if he wants to stave off Malik Jefferson.
When the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Nick Vigil in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the move didn’t seem like a difference maker. Vigil was a solid and versatile player who could give the team off-ball linebacker depth, but his upside was minimal. Two years later, Vigil has not altered that perception much. He has certainly been playable the last two seasons, but Vigil has been fairly unspectacular. Coming into 2018, Vigil needs to make a splash in order to ensure his starting spot and long-term security on this roster.
In 2016, the Bengals didn’t use Vigil as much more than a depth linebacker. He only recorded a total of 14 tackles and 1 pass deflection. Vigil was the fifth linebacker on the depth chart, playing behind starters Vontaze Burfict and Karlos Dansby. Marquis Flowers and Vincent Rey got more playing time too. Vigil played mostly on special teams, although the Bengals gave him some significant snaps at linebacker in Weeks 15-17. Overall, 2016 was a developmental year for Vigil.
The Bengals named Vigil a starter in 2017 following the departure of Dansby and Flowers. Vigil started 11 games before succumbing to an ankle injury that kept him out the rest of the year. His stats took a huge jump even in fewer games – Vigil tallied 79 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 5 passes deflected. In fact, his 79 combined tackles lagged behind only George Iloka, Darqueze Dennard, and Rey.
The issue with Vigil in 2017 was that his numbers did not equal the quality of his play. Vigil played nearly every snap in his 11 games as a starter but didn’t even edge backup Vincent Rey in tackles. Vigil’s PFF numbers are a concern, too – he was the 84th best linebacker in the league, according to PFF’s metrics. At that low a ranking, Vigil’s metrics suggest he certainly shouldn’t be a starter.
The Bengals also drafted an off-ball linebacker in Malik Jefferson in the third round this year. Jefferson is much rawer than Vigil, but his speed, length, and versatility give him a higher ceiling than Vigil. The Bengals may have drafted Jefferson with the long-term intention of having Jefferson usurp Vigil’s starting spot.
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Coming into 2018, Vigil is going to have to prove to the Bengals he is more than a fill-in starter. Alongside Preston Brown and Vontaze Burfict, Vigil should be a starter this season, but there is no guarantee past this year. The Bengals will certainly want to involve Jefferson this season, and Jordan Evans may see more playing time as well. Rey will also get his rotation snaps. With all this pressure behind Vigil, he needs to have a good season to stay on the coaches’ positive side. If he doesn’t play better than last year, he may get passed by on the depth chart next season. Vigil’s improvement this season will be a story worth tracking.