Positional battles are a hallmark of NFL training camps. It’s a sign of the times. Don’t have a clear starter at a certain position? Have two or more players duke it out for that right! It’s NFL meritocracy in action.
Last year, the Bengals didn’t actually have many positional competitions. Nick Scott versus Jordan Battle for strong safety was a nominal one, but with Battle being a fourth-round rookie and Scott being an NFL vet with a Super Bowl ring, that posture leaned more toward forgone conclusion than indecisive struggle. Maybeee you could argue Cordell Volson’s left guard spot was a little tenuous…but who was he really battling against – Cody Ford and Jackson Carman?
The punter job was also open for business between holdover Drue Chrisman and rookie six-rounder Brad Robbins, but once Chrisman suffered a medical scare during the offseason, that job became Robbins’ to lose. In fact, the Bengals’ starting lineup was basically set in stone by mid-August of last year.
Five positional battles are currently raging in training camp: for third receiver, for running back, for strong safety, for cornerback, and for punter, once again. There are certainly favorites amongst each group, but what stands out this year is the lack of major differentiators between players. Intrigue looms over this training camp. Let’s dig into these positional contests:
Third/Slot Receiver
Participants: Trenton Irwin (5th year) vs. Andrei Iosivas (2nd year) vs. Jermaine Burton (rookie)
I chose not to include Charlie Jones in this position battle because the odds of him being the starting third/slot receiver for the Bengals’ first game against the New England Patriots on September 8 are slim to none. He’s talented, but between his injury woes (both last year and this year) and the strong training camp performances of the receivers listed above, he’s probably destined to be a gadget-type player instead of a regular starter.
Of the three names above, though, determining who will take the field as the true starter in a couple weeks is not an easy task. Irwin, according to the Bengals website, is currently the starter, and that makes sense. He’s not overly athletic and won’t consistently win against the NFL’s best corners, but he’s crafty, has sticky hands, and can be surprisingly tough to bring down in the open field – all fabulous traits for a slot receiver. Most importantly, though, Irwin has demonstrated, time and again, a telepathic connection to Joe Burrow.
It’s that built-in connection that favors Irwin more than anything. Maybe Iosivas and Burton are developing that subconscious link too, but we’ve seen Irwin do it in real games. We’ve seen Burrow look Irwin’s direction for back-shoulder catches along the sideline and on critical third downs. Irwin might not have the pedigree of Burton or the potential of Iosivas, but he’s got one thing the other two would die to have: proven production.
This isn’t to say Iosivas and Burton don’t have a shot in this battle. Iosivas is a spectacular athlete with prototypical traits for the position. Despite his lack of playing time last year, he proved he isn’t just a track athlete in pads. Iosivas was only targeted 25 times last year and still managed to haul in four touchdown grabs. He lacks polish, but his size and speed translates.
Burton arrives in Cincinnati after thriving as a vertical threat for the Crimson Tide last year. Character concerns caused him to drop to the third round, but between his breakaway speed, technical route-running, and excellent hands, he’s a fascinating fit alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who also excel as downfield receivers, but with slightly different styles. In fact, Burton’s presence on the field could allow the Bengals to experiment more with Chase as a slot receiver, due to Burton’s ability to command attention downfield. The same could be said for Iosivas too. That’s more theoretical than established fact, but between Irwin, Iosivas and Burton, the Bengals should be in good hands no matter who winds up winning the job.
Projected Winner: Trenton Irwin (but expect to see a lot of Iosivas and Burton)
Running Back
Participants: Zack Moss (5th year) vs. Chase Brown (2nd year)
It might just be semantics calling this a “battle” because the expectation should be that both Moss and Brown will be sharing work. For the last three years, Joe Mixon dominated the position, garnering almost three times the total touches of the rest of the Bengals running backs combined. Barring injury, there’s just no way either Moss or Brown approaches that level of positional supremacy. And the Bengals shouldn't want them too either.
Moss is a bruising, downhill runner who won’t break off many huge runs, while Brown could be described as the exact opposite. He’s a classic burner, and his 54-yard touchdown reception last year against the Colts saw him hit a blazing 22.05 miles per hour according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats – good for second-best of any ball carrier in the NFL last year. Moss probably has the edge as the Week One starter at this point – and Brown’s unimpressive performance in last week’s preseason game didn’t help matters – but that shouldn’t be taken as a slight. Both will be seeing the field plenty.
Projected Winner: Zack Moss (because someone technically has to be the starter)
Cornerback
Participants: D.J. Turner II (2nd year) vs. Dax Hill (3rd year)
While slot receiver and (to a lesser extent) running back are important positions in today’s NFL, they pale in comparison to cornerback, and that’s precisely where the Bengals’ most important positional battle is taking place. D.J. Turner, last year’s second-round pick, had an up-and-down year as a rookie, showcasing the elite speed that made him a coveted prospect, but also finding himself out of position on multiple downfield throws that resulted in big gains. Dax Hill, meanwhile, had just as bumpy of a season in his first year as the Bengals’ starting free safety – so bumpy, in fact, the Bengals signed a new free safety in the offseason. Hill has been moved back to cornerback, his position at Michigan, and so far, the early returns are promising.
It’s critical that the Bengals find stability at this position. Cam Taylor-Britt and Mike Hilton will man the other two starting jobs, but CTB has struggled with injuries during his first two seasons and Mike Hilton isn’t getting any younger. The Bengals had too many breakdowns in coverage last year, and though they’ve gone to lengths this offseason to remedy that, it won’t matter if opponents can identify a weak link to exploit. It’s up to Turner or Hill to be un-exploitable.
Right now, Tuner has to be considered the favorite, because unlike Hill, he at least has some NFL experience at corner – granted, it wasn’t always pretty. Hill has been in the NFL longer, but he’s primarily been playing safety and those results weren’t anything to write home about either. Expect Turner to see the field the most, but don’t be surprised if Hill carves out a niche for himself this year, perhaps as a hybrid defender or a designated tight-end stopper.
Projected Winner: D.J. Turner II
Safety
Participants: Vonn Bell (9th year) vs. Jordan Battle (2nd year)
Man, does it feel good to see Vonn Bell back in stripes. If cornerback was a position of weakness for the Bengals in 2023, safety was an utter disaster. Fortunately, the Bengals wasted no time with their overhaul, releasing Nick Scott, moving Hill from safety to corner, and signing both Bell and former Ravens safety Geno Stone to completely reshuffle a struggling unit. With last year’s third-round pick Jordan Battle also acquitting himself to the league after being pressed by necessity into a starting role for seven games, the safety position feels much better – and deeper – in 2024.
Stone has the free safety spot locked up. The Bengals didn’t throw $15 million over two years at the 25-year-old ballhawk to come off the bench. He’ll step in immediately as the Bengals new center fielder, something they’ve sorely missed since allowing Jessie Bates III to leave for Atlanta. The strong safety spot, on the other hand, is up for grabs between the familiar fan-favorite and the rising youngster.
Bell is beloved by the Bengals locker room, a genuine leader, and a gritty, dependable defender. He’s almost like having a coach on the field, and his presence in and of itself will go a long way toward limiting the explosive plays that crippled the Bengals’ defense last year. He likely holds the advantage over Battle, but the second-year safety has showcased enough skills against the run, the pass, and as a pass rusher to earn serious playing time, whether he starts in Week One or not. Like receiver, safety feels like a position with a great combination of depth, potential, and varied skill sets.
Projected Winner: Vonn Bell (but Battle could see the field a ton in three-safety looks)
Punter
Participants: Brad Robbins (2nd year) vs. Ryan Rehkow (rookie)
Okay, this one isn’t super interesting, so I’ll keep it short. Robbins was the starter last year, and his debut wasn’t encouraging. He struggled to punt the ball deep, and even the hangtime (supposedly his calling card) on his punts were mediocre at best. Rehkow, meanwhile, has been routinely captivating Bengals twitter with booming punts in practice. He actually had a higher gross punting average (56.0 yards to 50.0) than Robbins did in the Bengals preseason game against Tampa Bay, but Robbins beat him in net punting average (45.3 yards to 43.3) and managed to pin one inside the 20-yard line.
What might make the difference is their ability as a holder for kicker Evan McPherson, and if that’s the case, Rehkow being the holder on McPherson’s lone miss against Tampa Bay is something to consider. Yes, Rehkow has energized the Bengals fanbase with his powerful leg, but Robbins’ experience and familiarity with McPherson makes him a better bet to start. Rehkow could have a spot on the practice squad waiting for him in the meantime. Robbins shouldn’t get too comfortable.
Projected Winner: Brad Robbins
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