Bengals safety Nick Scott 'itching' to get reps as he recovers from injury
The first real OTA practice for the Cincinnati Bengals saw the team's usual suspects make plays and go as close to full speed on the field as they could. June football is still June football, at the end of the day. Safety Nick Scott is one of the newest faces to the team and Lou […]
The first real OTA practice for the Cincinnati Bengals saw the team's usual suspects make plays and go as close to full speed on the field as they could. June football is still June football, at the end of the day.
Safety Nick Scott is one of the newest faces to the team and Lou Anarumo's stacked defense, but his practice time is currently being limited due to a shoulder injury he suffered late last season. His excitement for doing more, however, is not capped by anything.
"I'm itching to start doing 7-on-7 and just stuff but, you know, I gotta be smart." Scott told reporters after Tuesday's practice.
Scott, who touched on his injury Tuesday afternoon, has been on the field for team work, but his limited reps have allowed rookie Jordan Battle to take part in 7-on-7 with the first team. That's the status quo for now, though things are noticeably ramping up with intensity as training camp nears.
"Not much has changed for me because they're still kind of holding me back for my shoulder and things," Scott said. "But you know, we're starting to do 7-on-7, so guys are getting the opportunity to move fast and actually break off the ball and everything like that. So it's exciting. Everybody's heart rate goes up a little bit more because we're getting the opportunity to do part of what we love."
The offseason is usually when the defense appears to be ahead of the offense, but with so many new faces in the secondary, the acclimation period may be longer for Cincinnati's defense to get in sync. It's a hurdle that Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell's departures have created.
From Scott's vantage point as a projected replacement at safety, the transition has been smooth thanks to how established the unit was before he even walked through the door.
"I think we look really well and that's a testament to the coaches and the guys who've been in this building for a while just kind of instilling that foundation," Scott said. "It doesn't make it hard for us to pick up you know, what we're trying to put down and, you know, start gelling with the guys. It's been a lot of fun so far."
The fun will only increase once Scott's shoulder heals completely and the team takes off his training wheels. The 28-year old safety has one year of starting experience under his belt from his time with the Los Angeles Rams. The contract he signed this offseason will allow him to play meaningful snaps for years to come in Cincinnati, alongside Battle and Dax Hill.
We may not see the full version of Scott until camp arrives in July, but signs point to the unit as a whole looking sharp at that point.
Featured image via Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
