The Cincinnati Bengals, as expected, will throw Dax Hill into the fire next season as a starter.
And the coaches aren’t stressed about the 2022 first-round pick assuming the spot previously held by Jessie Bates much at all.
Speaking with the media while announcing the signing of free-agent safety Nick Scott, Bengals defensive backs coach Rob Livingston expressed a ton of confidence in Hill.
“I have a lot of stresses and worries in my life and he’s not one of them,” Livingston said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “He’s a first-round pick for a reason.”
Livingston commented on Hill’s highs and lows last year, which fans saw plenty of all year. He had some brutal, rookie mistakes down the stretch when given limited snaps at various spots. But he was also one of those preseason standouts, making big plays and flashing the near-Bates-esque upside at times.
Nobody would dare suggest Hill will have a perfect season as a “rookie” on the field in 2023. But Livingston’s confidence is warranted, as what they saw on film before drafting him is something they want to slot into the overall defense next to Scott.
