2025 Bengals Make-or-Break Player: Dax Hill

The former first-round pick’s roster status is safe through the rest of his rookie contract. But, in a year where the defense needs both steadiness and big plays, his ability to stay healthy and find a positional home is crucial to take the team to the next level.

A Bengals Offseason Tradition

We have a bit of an annual tradition that kicks off around this time of year. Once the first waves of free agency and the NFL Draft are in the rearview mirror, we turn our attention to identifying which Bengals players might be poised to take that all-important next step in their careers.

Spotlight Series: “Potential Bengals Breakout Players”

Here at Cincy Jungle and on our associated podcasts, we launch a recurring series each offseason titled “Potential Bengals Breakout Players.” It’s our way of forecasting which players could step into larger roles, show significant growth from the previous season, or otherwise emerge as key contributors in the upcoming year.

This isn’t just guesswork. It’s based on their likely increased responsibilities, glimpses of talent, and how they’ve been developing behind the scenes.

Introducing: “Make-or-Break Year”

Building off that tradition, we’re rolling out a new companion series: “Make-or-Break Year.” This series spotlights Cincinnati Bengals players who are entering pivotal stretches in their careers—those who need to prove themselves now or risk fading from the team’s long-term plans.

These are players at a crossroads. Whether it’s due to inconsistent performance, off-field concerns, or simply needing to show growth, the next few months could be career-defining.

Dax Hill Background

Coming off their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988, Cincinnati held the 31st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Under the bright lights of Las Vegas, the Bengals selected the versatile and hyper-athletic Dax Hill out of Michigan.

Defensive end George Karlaftis went one pick earlier, and it’s possible the Bengals would have pounced on him had he lasted one pick longer, but they were undoubtedly enamored with Hill. With an aging secondary in some spots and Jessie Bates set to become a free agent, the team saw Hill as a potential key contributor against other AFC powerhouses.

Hill played a blend of roles at Michigan, thriving in the slot and showcasing athleticism in other defensive back positions. He demonstrated strong pre-draft measurables, posting an RAS (Relative Athletic Score) over 9.0.

As a rookie, Hill appeared in 18 total games, including the postseason, recording 18 tackles and one quarterback hit. He stepped into a starting role in 2023, with mixed results. He tallied two interceptions, 110 total tackles, and 1.5 sacks, but the defense as a whole regressed, and Hill had at least two or three other dropped interceptions over the course of the year.

In 2024, Cincinnati attempted to move him from free safety to corner. While he flashed some promising skills, his season was cut short by injury after just five games. And while some may label Hill a “disappointment” to this point, the combination of coordinator and positional changes—along with injuries—means his full potential simply hasn’t been realized yet.

What Hill Needs to Prove in 2025

It comes down to two things for Hill: staying healthy and finding a defensive role (or roles) that best suit his strengths. Cincinnati is banking on a slew of offseason coaching changes to improve the weaker points of the team, but Al Golden will need to be the one to unlock Hill’s potential in this defense.

As a true safety, Hill was around the ball often in 2023, but there were clear communication issues. Some now believe that was due to Lou Anarumo’s overcomplication of the system, but questions remain about Hill’s true positional fit, particularly after some promising 2024 flashes at corner.

While many believe his best fit is still in the slot, it’s possible Hill plays outside on certain downs and kicks inside depending on packages and matchups. And, as we’ve seen in recent years, NFL offenses have increasingly exploited mismatches out of the slot using a variety of weapons, making Hill potentially especially valuable there.

Although the “make-or-break” tag has somewhat nebulous definitions, it’s important to note a key caveat with Hill: the team has exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, keeping him under contract with manageable numbers through 2026.

So, in assigning him this designation, it’s not about his roster status but rather about emphasizing that his availability and health are key components to a potential defensive turnaround for the Bengals over the next couple of years. Hill has recently been cleared from his ACL injury and is targeting a return as early as the onset of training camp.

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