There could only be one.
One, meaning a pricey veteran carryover from the last coaching staff at the back end of the Cincinnati Bengals defense.
After the Bengals signed Vonn Bell, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander, to name the notables, somebody had to go. And the two candidates were Dre Kirkpatrick and Shawn Williams.
Williams won out and Kirkpatrick is gone –though he’s thanked the team for how the front office handled the ordeal this week, contrary to some theories.
And as The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. pointed out at the time, much of it seemed to come down to versatility:
When it came down to Kirkpatrick and Williams it wasn’t actually about money. The former had a costlier contract, yes, but if he wasn’t restricted to only playing boundary corner, he might’ve been the one to stick.
But it’s Williams who can move all over the place and last year quietly spent a big chunk of (ineffective) time at linebacker. He’s also been a captain, warriored through injury in a lost season and generally is a leader. Even if his on-field production gets replaced, there’s something to be said for having him as depth and keeping his presence in the locker room.
Which isn’t to say Williams is 100 percent safe. Things change. Moves happen. But in April before the draft? The Bengals could have easily cut both to save as much cash as possible after big moves but didn’t — Williams remains for versatility and leadership reasons.
