The Cincinnati Bengals continue to make some changes in the secondary as the season winds down.
The results are starting to speak for themselves.
One of those was moving former first-round pick Dax Hill back to the boundary position over the past few weeks. He’s playing well out there, just like he was before the injury.
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The other is giving veteran Jalen Davis some role, getting him involved in calling and platoon play, which should help rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter.
Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden recently talked about this topic with Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson:
“He had to make great decisions. That’s what we needed at the time. We needed a veteran in there. We couldn’t afford another guy who was training on the job and he really, he really settled us in and allowed the two young guys (linebackers) inside to take the next step and also took a chip off the safety board.”
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The Bengals have struggled to find a permanent home for Hill since originally drafting him as the safety replacement for Jesse Bates, to the point where it’s become almost a joke among fans. They confused some people last summer by moving him back inside this season after he flashed on the boundary last year.
Now, Hill is once again on the edge and looking very much like a long-term starter, with breakout DJ Turner occupying the other edge spot.
As for Davis? He won’t go unchallenged next offseason after the Bengals will likely bring him back again. But they just reminded him again how valuable he is as a depth player.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals’ key position changes yield results