5 second-year Bengals poised for a big 2023 season

Dax Hill

A lot of fans are disappointed with Dax Hill's rookie campaign but honestly, he didn't play enough for us to get much of a sample size. Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell remained healthy throughout the season but with both of those guys hitting free agency, Hill likely earns a starting job in 2023.

Hill didn't play a ton in the playoffs but he did all right when called upon. He took 18 snaps as a coverage corner and ended the postseason with a grade of 65.0. Overall he wasn't great, landing a 51.6 grade but again, he was a rookie who hadn't seen the field much. It's hard to get too critical there.

With Bates leaving feeling pretty much like a sure thing, Hill will step into that role. Had Lou Anarumo departed in the offseason, I might be more worried about Hill this upcoming season but the defensive genius will be able to figure out the best way to utilize Hill and get him comfortable in this secondary.

It's easy to point to Hill's rookie season and view him as a disappointment, but the Bengals drafted him knowing that he'd likely be riding the bench as a rookie and stepping up to the plate in year two. That time is now.