The Cincinnati Bengals went into Sunday’s matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars severely shorthanded in the secondary, forcing several reserves into significant roles.
Dax Hill made sure they knew their efforts were appreciated.
“There’s a lot of practice squad guys that were elevated last second,” Hill said, via CLNS Media's Mike Petraglia
. “I really just told them I’m proud of you guys for, you know, stepping up.”
Cincinnati played without starting safety Bryan Cook, backup safety Kyle Dugger and slot cornerback Jalen Davis.
That resulted in P.J. Jules making his first NFL start at safety while practice squad safety Russ Yeast also rotated into the lineup.
Hill said the message extends into the future.
“It’s literally gonna be everyone throughout
this entire season,” Hill said. “You never know when your number’s going to be called.”
Despite the restructuring, Hill felt the secondary’s communication held up for most of Cincinnati’s 22-17 loss.
Hill, DJ Turner II and DJ Ivey also helped limit Jaguars slot receiver Parker Washington to one catch for seven yards on three targets.
With injuries testing Cincinnati’s defensive backfield, the Bengals truly begin to navigate the typical downsides of advancing into the season.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Dax Hill speaks on Bengals backups after stepping up vs. Jaguars
