3. Cincinnati Bengals
If you look at last year's numbers, it was far from pretty for the Cincinnati Bengals secondary last year. The Bengals finished 2023 ranked 28th in passing yards allowed and last in net yards allowed per pass attempt. With injuries crumbling Cincinnati late in the season, though, the bottom just simply fell out. This secondary was completely lost after losing cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt to injury.
Already a huge defensive piece for this entire unit, Taylor-Britt has been able to make his presence felt in numerous ways. He has 17 career pass breakups in just 22 total games, including 11 in 12 games last season. Taylor-Britt simply has the competitive fire and the mentality needed to play cornerback in today's era.
In the slot, Mike Hilton has routinely been a top five nickel cornerback throughout the last handful of seasons. He can thrive in man coverage, rush the passer, tackle in space and bait quarterbacks into errant throws. In any given game, Hilton can turn a game on its head for the Bengals defense.
The depth will face some questions entering 2024, especially after last year's finish. But ideally, Cincinnati benefits greatly from defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. He is quick to adjust and show different pictures pre-snap to opposing offenses. On top of that, the Bengals can rotate in depth and disguise multiple coverages, if necessary.