Having potentially lost first-round cornerback William Jackson III for the season due to a torn pectoral muscle, the Bengals have been in communication with old friend Leon Hall, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Hall, per Dehner, is “clearly still an option” for Cincinnati as they look for veterans to add to their secondary.
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Hall, of course, has spent the entirety of his career with the Bengals, starting 105 games for the club since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2007. Even entering his age-31 season, Hall is still a capable contributor, though he’s mostly limited to the slot these days. However, injuries have been a concern over the past few seasons, as Hall has suffered two torn Achilles since 2011, and underwent back surgery over the offseason.
Those health issues could be the reason Hall hasn’t found a job yet despite taking numerous visits with interested clubs. Hall has met with or been linked to the Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Giants, and Dolphins, and though reports have indicated that he’s been close to signing a deal, no agreement has been made official.
In Cincinnati, Hall wouldn’t be asked to play a large role, and would likely play on fewer than the 666 snaps he saw last season. Though possibly losing Jackson is devastating, the rookie was never expected to contribute much outside of special teams, anyway. The Bengals will start Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick at corner, with 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard working his way into sub packages. Hall, then, would serve as the club’s fourth option — at best — at cornerback.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bengals sure do love their 1st round picks at CB