Those paying close attention to the early happenings at Cincinnati Bengals training camp noticed something unusual with the defensive ends.
There, names like Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell, along with a few others, kept dropping into pass coverage.
Mafe, the free-agent signing after losing Trey Hendrickson, projected as a pure pass-rusher. Howell, the first draft pick by the team this year, boasted elite athleticism, but figures to do much of the same.
But as Howell pointed out this week, he’s trying to work on that part of his game at the request of coaches.
“That’s something I am trying to work on to get more comfortable with,” Howell told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “My primary thing is rushing the passer and playing on the line of scrimmage,
but that is something I am trying to actively work on and actively make sure I’m getting better at day by day.”
It’s all in the name of versatility, of course. Gone are the days of old when fans would get frustrated seeing someone like Sam Hubbard drop into coverage.
On paper, the Bengals want to be a multiple defense. Coordinator Al Golden feels like he has the personnel to make it happen now, fluidly swapping between 4-3, 3-4 and other varied looks based on opponent and scenario.
If it goes well, opposing offenses will have a tougher time prepping to play the Bengals and on a snap-to-snap basis. And if it does, hindsight will show that fans didn’t need to worry because the edge defenders weren’t getting more typical usage during training camp.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Why Bengals keep dropping Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell in pass coverage
