4 significant questions for the Bengals cornerbacks this season
- Final Roster
- Encore
- Health
- Depth
By Glenn Adams
Can they have a repeat performance?
The starting cornerbacks from last season are back. That is good news for one of the best secondaries in 2022. However, Awuzie, Taylor-Britt, and Hilton will be working with a new group of safeties around them.
Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell are gone. In their place are second-year safety Dax Hill and free-agent signee Nick Scott. Will that change affect the way the corners perform this season? Will the communication be up to par between the two groups? Could it be even better?
Last year, the Bengals boasted one of the best secondaries in the league. They held opposing quarterbacks to the lowest QB rating in the NFL. They were also first in completion percentage allowed. They surrendered the third-fewest passing touchdowns and they accomplished all of this while the defense, as a whole, finished 29th in sacks.
The Bengals were lucky to have Taylor-Britt on the roster last year. He played well down the stretch and in the playoffs. Hopefully, he can build on a strong rookie campaign.
. @Pschrags Top 10 Breakout Players of the Year:
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) August 28, 2023
At #8, the @Bengals have a dynamic corner who'll be a household name this year: @CamTaylorBritt_
"We talk so much about Sauce and other young corners. Taylor-Britt played as well as anyone when it mattered most last year." pic.twitter.com/PI1pQDCuFl
Awuzie was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL last season before his injury. His QB rating of 53.4 when targeted was the third-best of all cornerbacks. His completion percentage of 38% was the best in the NFL. If he had stayed healthy and maintained those numbers for the entire season, he would have been considered the best cornerback in football.
Individually and as a group, the cornerbacks performed well last year. Can they perform as well or even better this season?