Why the Cincinnati Bengals Cut Nick Scott and What it Means for the Safety Position

CINCINNATI – The transformation of the safety position continues for the Cincinnati Bengals with the plan to cut Nick Scott.

The Bengals made Scott a member of their 2023 free agent class, inking him to a three-year, $12 million contract a little more than a year after he helped the Los Angeles Rams defeat Cincinnati in Super Bowl LVI.

Cincinnati Bengals Cut Safety Nick Scott

Scott always felt like a bridge starter with the way the Bengals structured his contract, making for an easy out after the 2023 NFL season. Cincinnati absorbs a minimal $2 million hit in dead cap against Scott’s 2024 cap hit of $4.3 million for a savings of $2.3 million.

Nick Scott meeting the Cincy media pic.twitter.com/OdXXTbKVPR

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) March 20, 2023

That savings helps offset the agreement with former Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone on Monday for two years, $15 million.

Stone will start at safety in 2024 alongside Jordan Battle, Cincinnati’s 2023 third-round pick, who wrestled the starting job away from Scott in Week 11 last year.

We have released S Nick Scott

📰: https://t.co/xiQxStZBeM pic.twitter.com/dcS9Yl6g0Z

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 13, 2024

But while the starting lineup appears set, the Bengals remain thin at the position, especially with the expected plan to move 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill to cornerback. Hill obviously could revert to safety in the event of an injury, but the only other true safety on the roster is Tycen Anderson, a 2022 fifth-round pick who has yet to play a defensive snap.

Anderson missed all of his rookie season with a hamstring injury. He returned last year and was playing at an elite level on special teams until he tore his ACL in the Week 8 victory at San Francisco.

Scott’s release could mean the Bengals will be targeting another safety in free agency, or the plan could be to select one or two in the draft next month.

Michael Thomas played in a backup and special-teams role in 2022 and was one of the most respected leaders in the locker room, which is why he stuck around in 2023 as a member of the practice squad.

There’s a chance the Bengals could bring him back in a similar role in 2024, but Thomas turns 34 on Sunday and is heavily involved with the NFLPA Executive Committee, so he could be ready to call it a career.

The Scott signing last spring, much like the Irv Smith Jr. one at tight end, was an inexpensive gamble that didn’t work out.

Scott was one of the worst tackling safeties in the league — although his missed tackle percent of 6.6 was considerably better than Stone’s 11.7 — and Scott’s issues finally came to a head early in the Week 11 loss to the Ravens, when defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was seen screaming at him coming off the field after he caused a penalty for having too many men on the field.

Anarumo replaced Scott with Battle on the next series, and the latter never came off the field the rest of the way. Battle performed better than any other rookie in the 2023 draft class, and Anarumo is high on his ability to grow as a player and leader in 2024.

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“He can now go out there and know he has played effectively for a number of snaps,” Anarumo said at the Combine in Indianapolis last month.

“We still have a long way to go, but at the end of the day, there are things he has done well. He should and will take the next step from all of that, whether it is leadership, communication, and just continue to hone his game on different things as well.

“He’s one of those guys that kind of looks to me is saying all the right things about putting it on his shoulders to improve next year.”

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