Bengals Roster Breakdown: CB
22. Chidobe Awuzie
29. Cam Taylor-Britt
21. Mike Hilton
20. DJ Turner
24. Sidney Jones
35. Jalen Davis
42. Allan George
38. DJ Ivey
39. Marvell Tell
The Bengals CB room is one that is loaded with talent. But since they chose not to re-sign Eli Apple, the starting lineup will look different than it did in week 1 last year. It will feature a couple returning veterans in starting spots, while simultaneously relying on younger guys to carry a big part of the load.
Chidobe Awuzie should be inserted back into his role as the number 1 guy on the boundary. After tearing his ACL against the Browns last Halloween, Awuzie’s recovery seems to be going well, and his chances of suiting up in week 1 look good. The hope is that there isn’t much of a drop off, if any, and that he can get back to his elite form that he has been in since joining the Bengals.
Cam Taylor-Britt was the one who took over after Awuzie’s injury last year. Though Awuzie will be back, Taylor-Britt will be retaining a starting spot after Eli Apple wasn’t re-signed. Taylor-Britt was a high ceiling prospect who could be prone to mistakes at times in college. In his first pro action, we saw some of the same peaks and valleys, but his improved consistency as the season went on was very encouraging. Having him another step forward will be big for Lou Anarumo’s secondary.
Moving inside to the slot now, veteran Mike Hilton will retain his role in this position. He has been solid since signing with the Bengals, and his versatility is something that Anarumo has made use of.
After the top 3, a battle may take place to determine the standing of the depth players. Given his draft pedigree, DJ Turner seems like a good shot to be first off the bench for all three CB positions, assuming he picks up the playbook alright. Though undersized, his athleticism and talent in coverage should give him a leg up.
Sidney Jones was signed in free agency. He never lived up to his draft pedigree, but has come into his own as a solid depth player in recent years. Health has been a question mark for him, but if he can stay healthy this offseason, he has a solid chance to make the roster and fight for the top backup position.
Jalen Davis is someone who has quietly been able to stick around as a depth piece over the last few seasons. While he doesn’t play much on the outside, he is solid in the slot, and should also be in contention for the top backup role in that spot. Turner and Jones will have to be fought off. Even if he is beat out, Davis still seems like a solid bet to crack the roster.
Along with guys like Jones and Davis, Allan George and DJ Ivey will look to push for a back-end roster spot. George was a 2022 UDFA signing who didn’t look out of place in the preseason and limited regular season action. Ivey, meanwhile, is a rookie 7th round pick who is raw, but possesses a lot of physical talent. If either of them don’t make the roster, I’d expect the Bengals to have interest in keeping them on the practice squad.
Marvell Tell rounds out the group, and will also be battling for one of the last spots. The Bengals signed him to the practice squad part way through last year. The former 5th round pick has some game experience, seeing some action with the Colts in 2019. He’ll have an uphill battle, but perhaps his experience can be used as an advantage.
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