It's been a brutal defensive season for the Cincinnati Bengals -- one defined by miscommunication on the back end, inconsistent pressure up front, and a revolving door of personnel due to injuries and schematic tweaks.
Yet even within that turbulence, third-year safety Jordan Battle has emerged as one of the few stabilizing forces for a defense still searching for identity.
A 2023 third-round pick out of Alabama, Battle has become the type of multi-tool defender that good franchises typically build around, not replace.
Jordan Battle a rare bright spot in Bengals' recent history of draft misfires
What has popped on tape most about Battle’s year is not just the production, but the breadth of his usage.