Cornerback was one position group that emerged as a bright spot from last year's chaos on the Cincinnati Bengals' defense. DJ Turner enjoyed a breakout, All-Pro caliber 2025 campaign, while practice squad vet Jalen Davis thrived in the slot, and Dax Hill balled out on the boundary.
Quite a trio there, no? Well, there may be an unexpected change-up, or at least that's the assumption fans should operate under until further, public-record notice that Dax is, indeed, staying on the perimeter.
That's a major concern of mine still. OTAs came and went. Still no confirmation. Where Dax plays has a major bearing on the future of another Bengals corner who's shown promise.
Josh Newton shouldn't be overlooked in Bengals' talented secondary
Although he's given up four TDs to only one interception through two limited-role seasons in the NFL, Josh Newton has proven plenty adept in coverage when given the chance to play.
Newton was once hyped up as a first-round prospect out of TCU, only to watch his stock plummet. Cincinnati benefited from that by drafting "Fig" as he's colloquially known in the fifth round (149th overall) in the 2024 draft.
On the 71 times he's been targeted in the NFL so far, Newton has yielded only an 89.9 passer rating and a 56.3% completion rate, per PFF. That's high-level stuff.
And yes, the 25-year-old still has plenty of room to improve. His tackling could really use some work, yet Newton does have 210 snaps combined in the slot, box, and at free safety, in addition to 568 as a boundary corner.
Between Turner, Hill, and rookie third-rounder Tacario Davis, plus the possible nickel options between new free agents Kyle Dugger and Ja'Sir Taylor, we could see Newton skid dangerously close to the 53-man roster cut line.
The battle for that last cornerback spot, given multiple players' inside-out versatility, should come down to Newton and D.J. Ivey. The latter is a past seventh-round pick whom the Bengals have stuck with through thick and thin, but to me, Newton just brings more upside as a cover corner.
Given that the Joe Burrow-led offense should be lighting up the scoreboard at relative will, forcing opponents into more obvious passing situations, it'd behoove Cincinnati to prioritize keeping guys who can really cover. Also, the safety room got a huge upgrade with a hybrid in Dugger and, most vitally, two-time Chiefs Super Bowl champ Bryan Cook.
That improved safety play will only help the corners. Not to mention, the Bengals' run defense won't be as much of a league-worst sieve with Dexter Lawrence clogging the middle.
All those upgrades outside of the secondary should only elevate the defensive backfield. Any deficiencies Newton has in run support — tackling is coachable, thank goodness — can be masked by a superior collective effort this year.
If Davis isn't ready to roll for significant action in his maiden pro campaign, I'm telling you, we could see a whole lot more of Josh Newton in 2026. And that wouldn't be a bad thing.
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