Chidobe Awuzie Ready to Lead New-Look Bengals Secondary

Cincinnati's secondary is younger this season, but there's plenty of optimism about their new-look defensive backs room.

Author:
Elise Jesse
Publish date:
Aug 4, 2023 9:22 AM EDT

In this story:

Cincinnati Bengals

CINCINNATI — After undergoing knee reconstruction surgery in November, Bengals star cornerback Chidobe Awuzie has been cleared for training camp. After tearing his ACL on Halloween night in Cleveland last year and being forced to the sidelines, Awuzie is not wasting a single minute of practice.

At a time in August when it would be easy for a player to go through the motions while on the field in scorching temperatures, Awuzie is giving 100% effort, even in hand motion drills.

While in recovery, the veteran was still around his teammates daily. He was in the locker room celebrating his teammates as they came off the field in January after they beat Baltimore in the playoffs. He was there as support for the younger guys as they prepared to go on the road to face the Buffalo Bills and he was in the building the week leading up to their loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

With the extra long season coming to an end the majority of the team has been away from Paycor Stadium, Awuzie has been in Cincinnati rehabbing and is participating in all of the individual drills his teammates are doing.

“It was just good to be around the guys,” Awuzie told All Bengals. “Like the drill stuff and stuff we are doing on the side is stuff I’ve been doing and I feel real comfortable with so I’m just happy to see everybody else. They’ve all been away for some time, took some time to recharge but this is what it’s about. Building the chemistry and the camaraderie so I’m just really excited for that.”

Awuzie won’t be playing next to Vonn Bell or Jessie Bates III in 2023. He'll lead a younger secondary, alongside other veterans including Mike Hilton and Mike Thomas.

As the Bengals plan for the future, new faces like DJ Turner II and Jordan Battle will join Cam Taylor-Britt and Dax Hill, as Cincinnati's youth movement in the secondary continues.

“We are excited that the young guys that we got aren’t bad kids they’re all excited to play, they’re all asking questions about technique and stuff,” Awuzie said. “When you’re with a group like that things become easy just to find that chemistry and find that foundation to build great relationships so I’m excited to work with those guys.”

Lou Anarumo runs a complicated defense. The vets are helping the first and second-year players understand the system.

“There was a lot of Lou Anarumo getting on Mike Thomas the first two years,” Thomas said with a laugh. “I tell those guys, ‘go through your process, this is all you’ve got to do. Play with leverage and listen to him (Anarumo) don’t do your own thing. You can listen to me or you can find out the hard way,’ I think the guys are understanding that everything Lou is asking them to do, asks us to do is for a reason.”

Though seven playoff games in the Zac Taylor era, Anarumo’s defensive units have allowed an average of just 19 points to opponents. While his schemes can be difficult to pull off, they’ve proven effective. Veterans are trying to bring the younger generation of players up to speed as much as possible. Cincinnati’s secondary has been pegged as a question mark among many for their youth, but this group does not plan on being the team’s weak spot.

”He’s (Awuzie) done stuff to where he can tell me, ‘don’t do that, I’ve tried that and it didn’t work and so I try to learn from other people,” Turner said. “I don’t have to experience it to learn from it so it’s good that he’s coming back and I’m happy for him.”

Cam Taylor-Britt is entering his second season and he’s noticed a major difference from his rookie year, but he still leans on Awuzie for answers.

“He’s one of a kind,” Taylor-Britt told All Bengals. “He is just so helpful in every way and I think everybody on this team can attest to that. Offensive lineman, defensive lineman, running backs, quarterbacks. Every position can go to Chido for something. He’s just so in-tune with everything and he’s a real down-to-earth guy.”

“Having a player perspective on stuff is much different so it’s great for him to break it down to us as a player,” Turner said. “Sometimes when the coaches break it down you might not understand it as much as when a player breaks it down to you.”

Thomas might've given the best answer when asked what Awuzie brings to the team.

“It’s complex. He’s a great teammate. He has many nicknames. One: 'Funny, the Jankiest of Janky' for many reasons I will not describe on here. No, but he’s a great teammate, somebody who you can talk to, a brother, and he’s going to hold people accountable and that’s one of the best traits I love about Chido is he holds everybody to a standard and he’s going to hold everybody accountable, he’s going to compete in everything and I mean everything and that’s all I’ll say on that.”

Awuzie held player meetings last season to get everybody on the same page.

Cincinnati’s defense was the first to accomplish an incredible feat last year. The team didn’t allow a touchdown in the second half or in overtime until their loss to Cleveland on Halloween night when Nick Chubb pulled off an 11-yard score run in the fourth quarter. The team lost their third AFC North game that night, while also losing Awuzie for the season. They’ll have the chance to avenge that loss this year when they play the Browns on Sept. 10.

Being cleared from the PUP list allows Awuzie to go though individual drills and walk throughs with his teammates and he plans on being available to play in Week 1.

“He knows what’s coming,” Thomas said. “If we are in one of those Lou Anarumo complex defenses, he knows the importance of communicating and when you have a teammate like that it makes your job easier, makes it fun, makes you want to come to work every day excited.”

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