In the middle of all the talk about this year’s possible Bengals burglary, we give you an update on the Jordan Battle in relation to NFL Draft Steals.
Jermaine Burton, a wide receiver for Alabama, is ranked No. 80. Josh Newton, a cornerback for Texas Christian, is ranked No. 149. Matt Lee, a Miami center, at No. 237
Recall the Battle? Following an erratic summer filled with safety-related events (such as the addition of AFC interceptions leader Geno Stone, Dax Hill’s switch to cornerback, and the return of playoff hero and locker room guru Vonn Bell), here’s a brief recap:
With seven games remaining in a playoff push, Battle stormed out of Alabama and snatched a starting position after the Bengals selected him with the 95th overall choice in the late third round of the previous season. He finished as the highest-graded rookie safety by Pro Football Focus and the eighth overall pick with two sacks, five passes defensed, and 69 tackles.
According to Battle, one of his offseason goals is “endurance,” as of Thursday. “Be able to handle more; make it through the fourth quarter.”
After that, he went to the Kettering Health Performance Center floor and introduced himself to Jordan Kovacs, a former NFL safety who was now his new position coach. By stepping on the vertical climber opposite each other and going through 12 sets of 30-second torment, the Jordans started a competition.
After a half hour, Kovas exhales and comments, “Good burn.” “It will be our Thursday ritual. It’s the first time ever. I enjoy working with men. A person’s true nature can be discerned when they are fully engaged in a workout. He was excavating. Jordan is a man of competition.”
A steel-belted product of 54 games played in a defensive scheme under Nick Saban, Battle is a serious player whose skill is equal parts savvy and athleticism. Battle returned to the locker room following his planned workout and put on a Kovacs Climb hoodie.
“My message to him in our first couple of meetings has been to take the next step,” adds Kovas. “Aim to improve a little bit every day. Always have a project underway. He is a bright young man.”
Without a doubt, the Bengals want to continue developing Battle, and they see Bell as a key player in both that growth and the upbringing of their other young players. things’s unclear how things will turn out, but it’s certain that both will be important players for the Bengals in 2024.
“Vonn will be a fantastic seasoned member of the group. Fantastic for a player like Jordan, who occasionally lacked that last season, says Kovacs. “Vinn is someone we adore for his actions on the field as well as the example he sets in the locker room and off. The culture he establishes. It’s going to be incredibly helpful to have a man like him around someone like Jordan Battle. Last year, we didn’t have that.”
Though players like Battle and Stone joined the team during Bell’s one-year leave in Carolina, his history as the coach who guided the Bengals to back-to-back conference championship games is well known.
It’s already visible to you. After working out, Stone doesn’t head to his locker but instead settles in at a locker across from Bell as they lean in to converse. In addition, Stone participates in some of Bell’s early morning Vonn Dawn workouts. Battle reports that he spoke with Bell a few times during their recent bowling night with some of their colleagues and on the quick bus ride to the workouts.
“Excellent discussions,” Battle remarks. “Just the way he enters the changing room. When everyone sees it, they all applaud Vonn.
Everything I can learn to improve and go to the next level. He’ll be really beneficial to the group.
Battle is still focusing on his space maneuvers and tackling technique.
“One thing I feel like I did get better at late in the season is to be full speed at the ball, full speed at the ball carrier, and give him limited movements to make me miss,” Battle states.
“I’m working to improve my midfield performance. being able to break on the ball and create plays, trying to break off the quarterback, and being aware of his targets.”
Along with aiding his defense, Battle also wants to “limit the explosives and get off the field on third down.” He attributes several of their huge pass plays from the previous season on inexperience as well as “bonehead mistakes that had everything to do with us and nothing to do with the other team.”
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