4 projected Bengals starters who need the most playing time in the preseason

The Cincinnati Bengals are unlikely to play many starters in the preseason. It isn’t Zac Taylor’s style, no matter how much they would like to get out there. If some starters play, don’t count on them being out there for long.

However, Taylor’s squad does have a few guys who should get an extended look during the preseason. Whether it is because they are young starters, new to the team, being pushed for their presumed starting spot, or the coaches want them to get live reps versus opposing teams, here are four projected starters who need the most playing time in the preseason.

4. Dax Hill

Last year’s first-round pick, Dax Hill, is taking over as a starting safety this year. Whether he will be used more in a Jessie Bates or Vonn Bell role remains to be seen. However, reports out of training camp signal that his versatility, which made him attractive as a first-rounder, will be how he is used this season.

While free agent acquisition Nick Scott has handled more of the deep-safety responsibilities left behind by Bates’ departure, Hill has lined up closer to the line of scrimmage, suggesting a Bell-type of role. He has also run drills with the cornerbacks and covered tight ends one-on-one, which Tre Flowers did a lot of for the team last season.

With the number of different ways defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo plans on deploying Hill throughout the season, it would be nice for him to get live reps in the preseason in some of those areas.

One way Hill will be used during the season that we will not see in the preseason is in exotic blitz packages. That secret sauce is kept out of public view during the preseason so as not to tip the defensive coordinator’s hand in an attempt to catch opposing offenses off guard.

Nevertheless, during the preseason, the young safety should see plenty of action covering tight ends, running backs out of the backfield, and even receivers both in the slot and at the boundary. For all of this, Hill will need more reps than the other projected starters on the roster.

3. Nick Scott

Nick Scott is the other starting safety who will see extra time in the preseason. There are several reasons for this.

First, last season was Scott’s first season as a starter. Before that, he was primarily used as a special teams player. In 2022, he played 31.7% of defensive snaps, the most he had played before last season.

In his sole season as the starter, Scott recorded 86 tackles. That total was more than Bates and Bell. However, Scott also allowed a QB rating of 118.5 and a 79.3 completion percentage.

In contrast, Bates had a 51.4 completion percentage and a 76.1 QB rating when targeted last season. Bell allowed a 67.9% completion percentage and a 64 QB rating when targeted.

Hopefully, in his new defense, Scott’s passing defense numbers will look better than last year for the Rams. Either way, the Bengals need to be sure that Scott was not just a "one-hit wonder" in Los Angeles and deserves a starting role in Cincinnati.

Also, Scott is the only new projected starter on defense who was not with the team last year. Because the other 10 have been in Anarumo’s system for a while, they do not need many preseason reps, if any, to get acclimated.

As this is his first year, Scott could use playing time versus teams in different colored jerseys during the preseason so he does not have to think, but he can just play when the regular season begins.

Furthermore, we can anticipate Scott getting more playing time in the preseason to hold off third-round pick Jordan Battle. The rookie safety out of Alabama had a good offseason this summer.

During OTAs and minicamps, Battle was spotted taking reps with the first-team defense on several different occasions. Perhaps if it were not for his suffering from some “tightness,” we would have heard about a similar occurrence taking place at training camp.

We could get a long look at Scott if for no other reason than the Bengals like what they have in Battle and would like to get him on the field sooner rather than later. That could be, in part, at the expense of Scott.

This all adds up to the expectation that Scott will need more playing time than the other defensive starters in the preseason.

2. Brad Robbins

Despite being listed as the second string on Cincinnati's preseason depth chart, rookie Brad Robbins is the projected starting punter and holder for the Bengals.

Robbins was drafted in the sixth round of this year’s draft. The Bengals maneuvered around the draft, adding a sixth-round pick by trading down in the third round, with Kansas City no less, to acquire the Michigan punter.

As much as the team might want it to appear as if there is a punting competition, there is not. Or at least there should not be. Teams do not draft punters and kickers to have them compete for the job. They are brought in to play immediately.

Now, Robbins needs to show and prove that the Bengals made the correct choice in selecting the punter in the draft. This is his opportunity to demonstrate his famed hangtime in NFL action. It would be nice for him to show it in the preseason while Drue Chrisman is still on the roster.

No, this should not be a competition. However, if Robbins, for whatever reason, does not turn out to be what the Bengals hoped for once preseason games begin, then the team could reevaluate the position.

We should expect him to earn the job. Nevertheless, Robbins will need the reps, as a punter and holder, in the preseason games to cement himself as the team’s starter.

1. Chris Evans 

Running back Chris Evans will need every opportunity to show not only should he be on the final 53-man roster, but he also deserves more playing time during the season.

No, he is not projected to be the starting running back. However, according to the Bengals' depth chart, he is the starting kick returner.

Usually, that honor goes to fellow running back Trayveon Williams. However, Williams is dealing with an injury and will probably be held back by the coaching and medical staff. This gives Evans a chance to take over the starting kick returner job.

We have seen Evans perform admirably on kick-return duties. Despite having nearly no experience in that part of the game while at Michigan, he showed explosiveness in that area in the NFL. Now he will have more opportunities to do so.

Another factor in his favor to win this job is that the Bengals might prefer having Williams, once fully healthy, as the primary backup to Joe Mixon. This could be the case for the first part of the season while rookie Chase Brown gets up to speed with the ins and outs of his new offensive scheme.

If Evans can be a consistent threat on kick returns while Williams is out, the former Wolverine could hold on to the job.

Before Evans can think about that, he will need the reps during the preseason to show the coaching staff that he can be counted on to do it. Being first on the depth chart is a good start.

It remains a mystery why Evans does not see the field more often on offense. If opposing kickers allow him to bring back a few, and he can lock down the return job, that could be a key to unlocking more chances on offense for the talented running back.

There is a slight possibility the coaching staff chooses to use the third preseason game as what was known as the dress rehearsal. Taylor has opted against that approach thus far. We shouldn’t expect him to change course now.

Therefore, look for all the players mentioned here to get plenty of reps in the first two games of the preseason. Once the hierarchy is set, expect this coaching staff to hold out all the starters for the third preseason game.