So much of this year’s NFL Draft discourse regarding the Cincinnati Bengals involved the cornerback position. Would the team be content giving Eli Apple a starting spot after an up-and-down 2021 season, or would an early-round pick come in and compete for the job?
The answer seemed to be mixed. Cornerback became the second position they addressed in the draft, but the player they picked wasn’t slated to split reps with Apple. He went through the offseason as a reserve and eventually suffered an injury right before the preseason began. The job belonged to Apple, as if it was ever in question.