Bengals May Actually Use Jessie Bates II in Three-Safety Set

All offseason, we have been imploring the Bengals to use creative defensive sets. Now, it looks like they may actually break out a three-safety set.

Ever since the Bengals drafted Jessie Bates II, I’ve been very excited about his potential role on this defense. In a particularly deep safety class, Bates was one of the last elite players on the board for the Bengals. Outside of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James – both of whom went in the top 20 – I’d argue Bates was the bets in class. Certainly, Bates was the best fit for the Bengals.

When I did a film review of Bates immediately following the draft, the biggest positives I focused on were Bates’ field awareness and play diagnosis. He is a pure free safety, and that shows when he moves on the field. Bates is incredibly aware of where action is happening and where he should be to best minimize offensive success. He can cover large swaths of the field with his rangy athleticism, too. Bates is also smart enough to anticipate routes and sense where opposing players will be on the field. This makes him very valuable in deep coverage situations, especially in a set like a Cover-2.

That’s why, with Teryl Austin coming to town, I was so excited for Bates’ role in this defense. Austin is renowned for his defensive package creativity, and he should bring that mastery to the Bengals. One set he especially likes is the three-safety set, which now meshes perfectly with the Bengals’ personnel.

Bates, a true free safety, joins George Iloka and Shawn Williams at the safety position. Iloka and Williams are both traditionally strong safeties, although Iloka is strong enough in coverage to play free safety in more common defensive packages. In a three-safety set, though, Iloka can play closer to the line alongside Williams, while Bates can man the deeper field.

The Patriots, one of the biggest adopters of the three-safety set, use it to be particularly aggressive. They have a traditional 4-3 defensive front (4 linemen, 3 linebackers), 1 corner, and 3 safeties. The 1 corner shadows the X receiver, or top receiver, while one of the safeties plays zone on the other side of the field, where the second corner would normally be. Another safety plays very deep, like a free safety, favoring the side of the field where the first safety is. The third safety plays much closer to the line, like a fourth linebacker, and either spies the backfield or picks up the receiver coming out of the backfield.

This setup would be perfect for the Bengals. Bates would play deep while Iloka and Williams would play closer to the line. Iloka could use his cover skills on the second receiver if need be, while Williams’ tackling prowess would be put to use alongside the front seven. Not only is this a potentially great package, but it also seems like the Bengals are planning on using it. Already in camp, the Bengals are experimenting with a three-safety set with Bates as the deep guy.

The fact that the Bengals may try a three-safety set is tantalizing to me. There are some caveats – the team has yet to use a three-safety set in full scrimmages, and Bates hasn’t seen the field much in 11-on-11 drills – but it’s still exciting. The Bengals need to come into 2018 with some more defensive creativity, and Bates’ role in a three-safety set is one of the best ways to deploy it.