The Cincinnati Bengals spent the majority of their offseason bolstering the defensive back room. They brought in free agents such as Geno Stone from the division rival Baltimore Ravens and added an old friend in Vonn Bell. The orange and black also moved former safety and 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill to outside corner where he’ll contend with his college teammate DJ Turner II in training camp. This battle should last throughout the preseason and early reports seem to indicate that Hill has a slight advantage as he’s been very impressive in OTAs. Turner’s solid rookie season in stripes adds another layer for the front office and coaches to consider. Let’s examine the upcoming competition between the two former Michigan Wolverines.
Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Battle: Dax Hill vs. DJ Turner II
History Lesson
Hill and Turner were part of the same recruiting class at Michigan and essentially are the same height, weight, and body type. Hill declared for the NFL Draft as a junior and both players had stellar careers for the Maize and Blue.
The Bengals love taking defensive backs early in the draft and the first and second-round selections of Hill and Turner respectively in back-to-back years keep this trend alive. In the NFL you can never have enough quality DBs and both players are hard-hitting ball hawks who possess high football IQ. Look for Cincinnati to get both on the field this season no matter the outcome of their competition.
Quick Study
Transitioning spots in the NFL can be a daunting task. It’s even more of a challenge when you move to arguably the toughest position on the field in the outside corner. Hill briefly played in the slot while in college and has kept a fantastic attitude in this process. He also seems to be a quick study as he comes to terms with his new life in the league by noting, “It’s been good. I feel like obviously it was a transition, one I’m going to have to make but I feel comfortable. I trust the coaches. They’ve been preparing me well. Right now, just with OTAs, there’s only certain things we can do right now, but they’ve been getting me prepared.”
Fight for Your Right
While Hill has been impressive in early returns, don’t think for one second that Turner will go down without a fight. He did have some ups and downs as a rookie but the Bengals love his attitude, toughness, and the attacking manner in which he plays.
This is an incredible play by DJ Turner pic.twitter.com/hZqoHmuM2m
— Matt (@CoachMinich) October 9, 2023
It will be interesting if the Bengals consider swapping Hill for the outside boundary and putting Turner in the slot to maximize their athletic traits. This also gives them flexibility as the season progresses to keep their best 11 on the field. Competition is always a good thing and it’s made better when you have willing participants doing what’s best for the good of the entire team. We’ll see how far this takes the men in stripes in 2024.
Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
