CINCINNATI -- Before turning our full attention to free agency, the draft, and the 2015 season, let's take one last look back at 2014.
After taking a break for last week's NFL combine, we are finishing our position-by-position review of the Cincinnati Bengals' recent 10-5-1 campaign that ended with a wild-card loss in Indianapolis.
Previous entries in the series. Now we continue with safeties:
2014 cap value: $6.5 million total -- Reggie Nelson ($4.5 million), Taylor Mays ($795,000), Shawn Williams ($653,986), George Iloka ($610,075)
Highlights: Virtually everything the Bengals' starting safeties did in 2014 was a highlight. Nelson had one of the most productive seasons in his eight-year career. He set a career-high in tackles, recorded 1.5 sacks, and intercepted four passes (his second-highest single-season total). Iloka, playing with a healthy hand and wrist, had had his highest single-season tackle and interception totals. He also factored in a few key pass breakups, drew a controversial penalty in the closing seconds of a win, and set the tone early in another game with a bone-rattling hit on one of the NFL's best players. Although he didn't make any All-Pro teams, and was not named to the Pro Bowl, Iloka had the type of year that truly warranted such recognition.
Lowlights: The safeties had few. Nelson had one of his best seasons and Iloka emerged as a valued deep defender. Williams best contributed on special teams, but in his brief action on defense, he factored in a couple of key defensive stops. Most notably, he was part of the Bengals' goal-line stand at New Orleans when linebacker Rey Maualuga turned back a receiver at the 2-yard line on a fourth-and-goal. Williams was there for the stop along with Maualuga.
Play of the year: It was teased above, but the top play for the safeties came in Week 8 against Baltimore when Iloka drew a pass interference call on Ravens receiver Steve Smith that negated a potential game-winning touchdown for the Ravens. With the game clock inside 40 seconds, and Baltimore backed up at its own 20 on a third-and-10, quarterback Joe Flacco ran around the pocket before firing a missile on the run deep toward Smith. As he stopped his route to go for the jump ball with Iloka, who had dropped down to cover him, Smith grabbed Iloka's jersey with his left arm and pushed. Iloka fell to the ground just as Smith had gotten enough separation to make the catch and run into the end zone untouched.
Officials saw the push, though, and flagged Smith for offensive pass interference. It was a penalty he later disagreed with. On the next two plays, third-and-20 and fourth-and-20 from the Ravens' 10, Baltimore barely moved the ball. The Bengals held on for a 27-24 win that was powered in part by Smith's push-off, and a dramatic late comeback drive led by Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
Necessary improvements: Given the way injuries affected the Bengals in 2014, it will be in their best interest in 2015 to make sure they are getting their backups the most meaningful preseason reps that they can. Williams has played well in relief, but could he be a reliable starter if he had to be? That's a question the Bengals want to answer as affirmatively as they can. The same goes for the other backup, whether it's Mays -- who enters free agency next month -- or someone else.
