Bengals DC Lou Anarumo ‘feels good’ about the secondary overhaul in the spring

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo laughed and rolled his eyes after watching a series of clips of his side reactions from the 2023 season.

Never afraid to show emotion in competition, there was no shortage of frustrating outbursts following a disappointing year in which his unit finished last in the NFL in explosive play percentage and 25th in points allowed per drive.

He could only add another response and roll his eyes when the idea came up to go through all the explosive plays from last season. He’s been there. He did that. It was not fun.

“My mistake doesn’t work,” Anarumo said.

Not after this offseason.

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While Anarumo and the Bengals defense spent six months addressing that major issue with every decision, from draft to free agency to the draft to OTAs, there was no discussion about what matters. The understanding and communication has made a difference in building confidence that there will not be a repeat in 2024.

“It’s just being open and honest with the guys, like we’ve always tried to be,” Anarumo said. “It’s not okay.”

Words don’t mean as much as actions, and last year’s three starting safeties, Dax Hill, Jordan Battle and Nick Scott, are no longer starters (or on the team, in Scott’s case). Cornerback DJ Turner is in a position battle.

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Geno Stone arrived from Baltimore and Vonn Bell returned from Carolina. The early returns have been notable for Anarumo, especially in terms of overall defensive communication.

“We’ve improved dramatically with that part and that part of the game from where we were,” he said.

Stone arrived with a reputation as an intelligent professional who earned every snap he got with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent. Anarumo appreciated that mentality and approach to the game in locating him in free agency, and that’s exactly what he’s seen this spring.

Anarumo once joked about the connection between Bell and Jessie Bates in 2022 because it was an advanced 500-level defensive game. After teaching Explosive Plays 101 in 2023, he saw communication with Stone and Bell at the 300 level with a 400 level after summer classes. It’s all a running joke, but reflects how excited Anarumo has been about Stone’s approach to joining this new team.

“He’s another guy who doesn’t want to make mistakes,” Anarumo said. “It affects his day. I’m like, ‘It’s okay, Geno, we haven’t told you yet.’

They will. And despite being away for a year, Bell quickly made it clear that he would be there to teach.

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Bell created a sense of comfort and calm that benefited everyone. Anarumo and his safety have a clear bond, and he has rebooted the important brain core of the defense with Stone. One of the themes that emerged from the offseason was how Bell’s influence immediately seeped through everyone.

“It helps everyone,” Anarumo said. “It helps everything. Sam Hubbard made a comment early in Phase 2. He said, “Welp, Vonn’s back,” after saying something at a meeting. It resonated with me. I felt that every day.”

There’s talk outside about whether Bell or second-year safety Jordan Battle will start next to Stone. Bell kept the first team in check during the offseason program, but from what Anarumo has seen, the move to the background hasn’t been a step backwards for the young safety.

Finding two ideal veterans came partly with Battle in mind.

“The best thing that happened to Jordan Battle was Vonn Bell and Geno Stone,” Anarumo said. “You have two guys who have experienced everything in the league. They are both effective. They both handle their work in the right way. For any young player, it’s a great roadmap of what to do and what not to do. I’m happy for him, I’m happy that we got these two guys because it will affect his career in a positive way in the future.

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It could prove to be a positive step forward for Hill as well, at least from what Anarumo has seen over the past three months. He called Hill’s move from safety to testing his ability to compete to start at outside corner this offseason as testing his “sea legs.”

Anarumo monitored mistakes in technique, breaks and angles to see how quickly Hill discovered those nuances.

Over time, Anarumo saw Hill learn to swim.

“There were some instances this spring where he probably didn’t do the right thing early on,” Anarumo said. “By the end of the spring he was right about the same mistake. You see that. You can tell he gets the idea of ​​what we’re trying to do with every call. There will be some growing pains, hopefully early, nothing that leads to big plays, but the ball is in the air, get it. That’s what a corner should do.”

Last year, the curves and protections were too often not discussed. Through personnel and schematic adjustments, he plans to eliminate another offseason of rolling his eyes at secondary failures.

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A 32nd place in explosive playing speed and 25th in points per drive will no longer be tolerated. Not a single soul associated with the Bengals’ defense left the offseason program unaware of that goal.

“We are very aware of it,” Anarumo said. “These are the things that caused us to be inconsistent last year. That’s where it starts, the explosive play and the chunk play that you just can’t give up. Let everyone see it, let everyone know. This is why. Can we play it better? Can we adjust something systematically? We put all those things together, the players showed it and we came out of the spring feeling good about where we are today.”

(Photo of Vonn Bell and Geno Stone: Jeff Dean / Associated Press)