Dax Hill 5th year option

[*pally*]

Jeremy Fowler reports that the Bengals are picking up Dax’s 5th year

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Not sure how I feel about this one. Here's to hoping he finds a position and stays healthy.

[J24]

If the Bengals use him properly(SS- NB) then it should be good move for them.

[Luvnit2]

(04-29-2025, 03:57 PM)pally Wrote: Jeremy Fowler reports that the Bengals are picking up Dax’s 5th year

It is a very good price. Only 9.6 million for Dax.

https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/2672/projected-2026-5th-year-options

[TecmoBengals]

I'm not sure his performance is worth the 5th year option, but they also don't have a replacement lined up so I suppose it makes sense to keep him.

[*bengalfan74*]

(04-29-2025, 04:02 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Not sure how I feel about this one. Here's to hoping he finds a position and stays healthy.

X2 for me !

[The D.O.Z.]

I think he showed he can play outside last year, so he’s earned the reps there. But now that NCB has opened a spot, I’m sorta disappointed they aren’t moving him there PERMANENTLY. I feel bad for the kid in that he’s had to play all over the place, but perhaps that’s a good thing now, having experience at multiple spots. But he projected as a NCB / interior defensive backfield type coming out of that draft, if I remember correctly. Let CTB, Turner, Newton battle it out for CB1-2 duties throughout OTAs and TC I say.

[Luvnit2]

(04-29-2025, 04:22 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: I think he showed he can play outside last year, so he’s earned the reps there. But now that NCB has opened a spot, I’m sorta disappointed they aren’t moving him there PERMANENTLY. I feel bad for the kid in that he’s had to play all over the place, but perhaps that’s a good thing now, having experience at multiple spots. But he projected as a NCB / interior defensive backfield type coming out of that draft, if I remember correctly. Let CTB, Turner, Newton battle it out for CB1-2 duties throughout OTAs and TC I say.

I may be wrong, but I think in the base defense Dax will. be ined up outside and Turner on the other side.

On passing downs, Britt or Newton (winner of the camp battle) comes in and the slide Dax to cover the slot receiver.

[*pally*]

This locks Dax Hill, a multi-year starter before a Week 5 ACL tear, into a projected $12.7M for 2026.

The Bengals have made clear recently they don’t want to develop key players only for them to leave in free agency. https://t.co/z5PRFQ8Fbn pic.twitter.com/uCZWRP2yUf

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 29, 2025

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

I think he has enough talent to justify picking up the option, and trust Golden has a plan for him.

If Golden said Dax has no home, or had doubt, he'd be out the door, so I am optimistic.

[*psychdoctor*]

I thought the consensus was that he was their strongest DB before the injury. At the very least he can take over Mike Hilton's spot and role

[The D.O.Z.]

(04-29-2025, 04:35 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I may be wrong, but I think in the base defense Dax will. be ined up outside and Turner on the other side.

On passing downs, Britt or Newton (winner of the camp battle) comes in and the slide Dax to cover the slot receiver.

I would be all for that, provided he can handle the workload and the mental aspect of the difference in duties between the positions.

[Luvnit2]

(04-29-2025, 05:51 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: I would be all for that, provided he can handle the workload and the mental aspect of the difference in duties between the positions.

As far as workload, most starting CB's never leave the field if defense is on the field.

As for the mentak, If Travis Hunter can handle and learn multiple positions at CB and WR, Daz should be just fine.

[Clark W Griswold]

(04-29-2025, 06:08 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: As far as workload, most starting CB's never leave the field if defense is on the field.

As for the mentak, If Travis Hunter can handle and learn multiple positions at CB and WR, Daz should be just fine.

This is a good move. Hopefully he’s healthy because I think he can be a solid player. For that $ they had to do it.

[Stewy]

For me, Golden gets some grace to see what he can do with all these players.

It would be nice to see if the FO is REALLY this bad at drafting talent or were the defensive coaches and Pollack really that bad at talent development?
---Well one answer to that question is that Pollack was known to NOT be a talent developer, so I'm glad we got Mims away from his.

My point essentially is that I'm not considering anyone on the roster "trash" if Golden and our new OL coach want them here.  They get a year or two of grace.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Dax was impressive at boundary Corner last year. One of the most important positions on Defense.

Don't understand not liking the Bengals picking up his option. He can also play at Slot Corner, I know Golden has spoken of Fig playing in the
Slot but I think that is also because Dax is coming off of injury right now.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(Yesterday, 01:38 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Dax was impressive at boundary Corner last year. One of the most important positions on Defense.

Don't understand not liking the Bengals picking up his option. He can also play at Slot Corner, I know Golden has spoken of Fig playing in the
Slot but I think that is also because Dax is coming off of injury right now.

Just a 4 game sample size, which is just not large enough to tell anything. 

When a guy hasn't proven for sure to be worth it, I would rather not pick up the option. 
-If he balls out this year I would just happily pay him in FA.
-If he doesn't ball out, I don't want to be on the hook for all that guaranteed money.

It's the Jonah Williams/Darqueze Dennard situation. I would rather have to spend more on guys I know are good than overspend on guys I don't want anymore. We are now committed to Dax Hill currently being our 7th highest paid player in 2026 based off 4 games (where we went 1-3) in a defense we no longer run.



...but as I said before, I am not sure how I feel about this. I don't hate it, but I sure don't love it. A big 'ol heaping of meh that leans towards dislike.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(Yesterday, 01:55 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Just a 4 game sample size, which is just not large enough to tell anything. 

When a guy hasn't proven for sure to be worth it, I would rather not pick up the option. 
-If he balls out this year I would just happily pay him in FA.
-If he doesn't ball out, I don't want to be on the hook for all that guaranteed money.

It's the Jonah Williams/Darqueze Dennard situation. I would rather have to spend more on guys I know are good than overspend on guys I don't want anymore. We are now committed to Dax Hill currently being our 7th highest paid player in 2026 based off 4 games (where we went 1-3) in a defense we no longer run.



...but as I said before, I am not sure how I feel about this. I don't hate it, but I sure don't love it. A big 'ol heaping of meh that leans towards dislike.

Okay, well at least you helped me understand why you don't like it TLL, fair enough.

[*Synric*]

This is interesting. Hoping Dax Hill and DJ Turner take a big step this year.

[Bengal Dude]

I'm not surprised. Since we primarily play nickel defense, we have 5 starters in the secondary. If we didn't pick up Dax's option, then 3 of our 5 starters would've been FAs after this season. Besides, Dax stepped up last year and was playing good before the injury.