The Cincinnati Bengals
‘ revamped defense has looked impressive through the first two preseason games, but there are still a couple of important pieces waiting to get back on the field.Safety Bryan Cook and defensive back Dax Hill have both been sidelined during the preseason, leaving Cincinnati without two players expected to play significant roles in the secondary. Head coach Zac Taylor provided an update on both players Monday as the Bengals begin their final week of preseason preparation.
The
good news is that neither situation appears to be trending toward a long-term absence.
Taylor: Cook and Hill are progressing
Taylor was asked about Cook and Hill and whether either player could return to practice this week.
“They’re progressing,” Taylor said. “They started running a little bit more on the side of the rehab field, so I won’t put a timeline on it. But encouraged by the progress that they’re making.”
That’s essentially the same message the Bengals have been sending throughout the preseason: Progress, but no timetable, at least for Hill.
That’s because Cook was present for Monday’s practice but did not do team drills, while Hill remains out.
Before today, both players had been working on the rehab field rather than participating in full team practices. Cook suffered what is believed to be a minor soft-tissue hamstring injury during a stadium practice earlier this month, while Hill has been dealing with what has been described as overall hamstring tightness. Neither injury was initially believed to be serious.
The fact that both are now increasing their running activity is certainly encouraging.
Cincinnati has been cautious with both players
The Bengals haven’t had much reason to push either player.
Taylor ruled both Cook and Hill out of the preseason opener against Detroit, and neither returned for the second preseason game against Chicago. Instead, Cincinnati has used the extra preseason opportunities to evaluate the players competing for depth roles behind them.
That approach has worked out reasonably well.
The Bengals’ defense was particularly impressive against Chicago, holding the Bears without a touchdown in a 27-9 Cincinnati victory despite the Bengals sitting their starters. The performance provided more evidence that Cincinnati has considerably more depth on defense than it did a year ago.
But getting Cook and Hill back would still represent a significant boost.
Cook was one of Cincinnati’s major offseason additions, returning to the organization after spending the previous two seasons in Kansas City. Hill, meanwhile, enters an important season as the Bengals’ fifth-year option player and is expected to be a key piece of the secondary.
The timing is worth watching
With the Bengals’ preseason finale against Philadelphia coming Friday, neither player will likely play in that game. And considering Taylor’s cautious approach throughout the preseason, Cincinnati has little incentive to rush either player back merely to get some exhibition snaps.
The more important question is whether Cook and Hill can get back onto the practice field soon enough to be fully prepared for Week 1. For now, Taylor’s message is a positive one.
They’re running more. They’re progressing. And, most importantly, there haven’t been indications that either injury is becoming something more serious.
For a Bengals defense that has generated plenty of optimism this summer following the additions of players such as Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and Kyle Dugger, getting two of its projected starters back healthy could make the unit even more dangerous.
Now it’s just a matter of when Cook and Hill are ready to make their return.
