Cincinnati Bengals players will see an old friend on Friday night when they play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 of the preseason.
There, they’ll see safety Jessie Bates, a long-time staple of the Lou Anarumo defense in Cincinnati who signed with the Falcons in free agency this offseason.
Dax Hill, the first-rounder tabbed as Bates’ replacement, says he’s looking forward to seeing the guy who helped him along.
“We talked once right after he signed, so it will be good to see him in person,” Hill said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “He told me to just be prepared and just show the world what I can do. He can do so many things well, I think he’s had an influence on my style of play.” …
Hobson also noted that somebody like Sam Hubbard wants to do a jersey swap with Bates, but it sure sounds like he might have some competition for that one.
Besides this, the Bengals will buck history a little bit recently and let some defensive starters get some run during the exhibition.
