Bengals Signing Kyle Dugger And Ja'Sir Taylor: What It Means For Draft Strategy
Kyle Dugger And Ja'Sir Taylor (credit: IMAGO & X)
Kyle Dugger And Ja'Sir Taylor (credit: IMAGO & X)
The Bengals finally made a move after weeks of silence, but this one feels more like a depth add than a real shift. With the draft close now, the bigger question is how this ties into what Cincinnati does next.
Cincinnati signed cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor and safety Kyle Dugger on Thursday, April 2. But the Bengals still have gaps in the secondary.
Taylor comes in as a depth option. He is expected to work as a nickel corner and contribute on special teams. He has started just three games in two years and has not played a major defensive role.
Last season, Taylor played just three per cent of the defensive snaps in Los Angeles. During his three years with the Chargers, he never crossed 50 per cent of defensive snaps in a season.
That shows he still has to earn his spot in Cincinnati. Jalen Davis already has a hold on that spot, so Taylor has work to do.
Dugger’s situation is a bit different. He saw more snaps late last season in Pittsburgh and handled a bigger role for a short stretch.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2024: Seahawks vs Patriots SEP 15 September 15, 2024; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) walks out of the tunnel before a game against the Seattle Seahawks in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit Eric Canha CSM (Credit Image: Â Eric Canha Cal Media) Foxborough Massachusetts USA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx ZUMA-20240915_zma_c04_711 EricxCanhax csmphotothree302185
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2024: Seahawks vs Patriots SEP 15 September 15, 2024; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) walks out of the tunnel before a game against the Seattle Seahawks in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit Eric Canha CSM (Credit Image: Â Eric Canha Cal Media) Foxborough Massachusetts USA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx ZUMA-20240915_zma_c04_711 EricxCanhax csmphotothree302185
Over nine starts, Dugger played 96 per cent of the snaps. Still, the production did not match the opportunity, as he ranked 82nd out of 98 safeties at PFF. That shows he was on the field a lot but did not stand out.
These moves help with depth, not direction. There are still gaps in the secondary, which makes the draft the next big step for Cincinnati.
Bengals still keeping draft plans wide open
These signings don’t lock the Bengals into anything for the draft. They feel more like cover after last season, when backups struggled in big moments.
The team had issues when players like Daijahn Anthony were pushed into bigger roles. That lack of readiness hurt them, and Dugger now fills that backup safety spot behind Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle.
Cincy holds a total of eight draft picks this April, including the 10th overall selection in the first round. And with their defense ranking 31st in total yards allowed in 2025, the Bengals will need all the help they can get from the draft.
Right now, Ohio State's defensive back Caleb Downs fits that picture. He has total 257 tackles, 16 tackle for loss and 1.5 sacks in 44 games. In 2023 season, he led the SEC conference with 70 tackles in 14 games.
His versatility helps. He can move around and fill different roles, which is exactly what this defense needs.
What do you think about the additions of Ja'Sir Taylor and Kyle Dugger? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Anjali Thakur
Edited by
Shubhi Rathore