PFF Nails Their Bengals 2025 Breakout Player Prediction
Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Bengals’ secondary had a forgettable season in 2024, and not just because of on-field performance. Players like Dax Hill and DJ Turner suffered season ending injuries, which hindered their development just as they were hitting their strides as players.
However, 2025 provides an opportunity for both of them to rebound. Hill, in particular, was a very solid defensive back and was hitting his groove in his third season in the league up until his season ending injury against Baltimore in Week 5. PFF took notice and (correctly) named him the Bengals’ early breakout candidate for 2025.
“Cincinnati will likely try to upgrade its secondary this offseason, particularly at safety. But one in-house name to keep an eye on is Hill. He played better in his first full season at cornerback, registering a career-high 68.0 PFF coverage grade with only 95 yards allowed on 140 coverage snaps. The former first-round pick will have plenty to play for in what could be a contract year, and a new defensive coordinator could also help.”
For better or for worse, Hill has been a swiss army knife for the Bengals. He has always flashed potential, but the fact that he has not played the same position more than two years in a row has slowed his development as a player. He was finally beginning to hit his stride as a defender in 2024 until a torn ACL against the Ravens sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
However, Cincinnati will undergo a rebirth of its defense this season under, in all likelihood, new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Golden was at the helm of the third best coverage defense in all of college football last season per PFF (91.0 grade). Communication among the members of the Fighting Irish’s secondary, which the Bengals struggled with in the post-Jessie Bates III era, was a major reason for their success. Up to this point in his career, Hill has done everything the Bengals have asked him to do, and even if his level of play hasn’t lived up to the expectations that come with being a first round pick, he has shown continued growth.
However, with the trickiness of ACL injuries, Hill’s injury recovery timeline is still unknown. There is the extremely real possibility that he may not be ready for training camp. That will force the Bengals to look for other options either in free agency or the NFL Draft, especially given the fact that the secondary is an area that the Bengals desperately need to fix. Anything is possible, however, as Bengals fans saw in Joe Burrow’s rookie year when he made a roaring comeback in 2021 one year after his knee injury.
Time is far from up for the former Michigan defensive back. Matter of fact, if anything, he very much could pick right back up where he left off and continue his strong level of play. Bengals coaches have always been more than aware of his athletic potential. He will be given plenty of opportunities to succeed, especially as the final year of his rookie deal approaches. Assuming things go according to plan, Hill will live up to his label as the 2025 Bengals’ breakout candidate.
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