The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Dax Hill knowing that he could potentially play throughout the secondary. Going into his third season, however, they have already abandoned attempts to make him a safety—at least for now. He has lost his starting job at that position and is now fighting for one as an outside cornerback. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is closely monitoring his progress this spring, a process he calls getting his “sea legs”.
“There were some instances this spring where he probably didn’t do the right thing early on”, Anarumo said of Hill, via The Athletic. “By the end of spring, he was right on that same error. You are seeing that. You are seeing him get the concept of what we are trying to do with each call. There will be some growing pains, hopefully early, nothing that causes big plays, but the ball is in the air, go get it. That’s what a corner has to do”.
A 2022 first-round pick out of Michigan, Dax Hill started all 17 games last season, logging 1,091 snaps. He recorded 110 tackles with two interceptions and 1.5 sacks, but he played a key role in the Bengals’ 32nd-ranked defense in explosive passing plays allowed.
Cincinnati turned over the safety position, demoting Hill and James Battle this offseason. They signed Geno Stone from the Baltimore Ravens in free agency and also brought back Vonn Bell to take over. But they know that Hill still has the tools to contribute—it’s just a matter of him rediscovering himself.
Even last season, Hill only played about 60 percent of the time as a deep safety. He lined up in the box for 230 snaps, via Pro Football Focus, and another 187 in the slot. Between playing up at the line and out wide, that accounts for another 67 snaps.
Hill’s final season in college saw him play primarily in the slot, logging 580 of 831 snaps there. The problem is wide corner is the position at which he is the least experienced. He logged under 100 snaps out wide throughout his three-year tenure at Michigan. Not even in the preseason the last two years did he spend much of any time there.
But this is an issue that he brought upon himself. Dax Hill’s own play is the reason that he is looking for a different role in the starting lineup. PFF charges him with allowing 32 receptions for 457 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. Those are not the kind of numbers you want to see out of your safeties.
On the whole, Hill held up in his other duties as a defender, but his work in coverage proved a fatal flaw. The Bengals felt they needed to take him out of that position now, hoping he can step up elsewhere. Perhaps on an island, he can rely solely on his athletic abilities, shielded from some of the complexities of scheme. But they need to see him get his sea legs first before they toss him back in the water.
