The Cincinnati Bengals revamped the secondary this offseason with a mix of old and new.
New, the arrival of safety Geno Stone, a year-later replacement for Jessie Bates after Dax Hill didn’t work out there (he’s off to play corner and in a positional battle).
Old, with the return of Vonn Bell to help patch up some of the communication issues that had the defense coughing up 32nd in explosive plays last year.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo says those problems — at least so far — have all but evaporated.
“We are drastically improved with that portion and that part of the game from where we were,” Anarumo said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.
The major point, given his past experience in the system, has been Bell, as Anarumo noted, per Dehner: “It helps everybody. It helps everything. Sam Hubbard made a comment early in Phase 2. He’s like, ‘Welp, Vonn’s back,’ after he said something in a meeting. It resonated with me. I felt that every day.”
There’s some debate as to whether Bell will start over upstart riser Jordan Battle. But either way, the fact he’s acting as a mentor and also helping along Stone speaks to the veteran’s presence.
And if nothing else, the debate gives Anarumo plenty of flexibility to go wild with his preferred three-safety sets and per-opponent looks next season.
