Last season saw a major step up happen for 2023 3rd-round draft pick Jordan Battle. Battle had gone from 13 starts in his first two Bengals seasons combined to starting all 17 in year three with the AFC North side, and results were mixed.
“I feel like I still got much more to build on,” started Battle on the “Bengals Booth Podcast” recently.
According to analytics powerhouse Pro Football Focus, Battle graded out with a 61.5 overall grade in 2025. Those numbers rank 63rd out of a qualifying 98 safeties. Battle’s coverage grade of 54.5 ranked 67th, while his run-defense grade of 72.3 ranked 43rd.
The Bengals as a whole missed the playoffs for the third straight season and finished with a 6-11 record, a step backwards compared to their two narrow misses in the seasons prior.
“And obviously, having that season, and going back and looking at the tape, seeing all the things I did wrong before the things I did right, so I correct those, and have less mistakes, have less missed tackles,” continued the former Alabama standout.
Battle finished his third season in the league with 125 tackles, including two tackles for loss, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and a stellar four interceptions. Battle’s four picks finished tied for third-most in the NFL last season.
“[There were] not too many mental errors on tape, but just correcting every little thing I can, so I can be an even better player, going into my fourth year. It’s a big year, and we’ve got the pieces to the puzzle, and we just got to go out there and execute,” finished Battle.
Battle’s safety room has been heavily revamped as Kyle Dugger joins from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bryan Cook drops in from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals’ defense also saw cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, edge Boye Mafe and, of course, Dexter Lawrence II enter the fold.
All of these acquisitions have gone a long way in attempting to kickstart an offense that allowed the league’s fifth-most passing yards per game at 236.8, while finishing with the 31st-ranked yards allowed defense that gave up 382.1 yards per game.
On a personal note for Battle, the 2026 campaign marks the last year of his rookie deal, which is set to pay the final $3.8M chunk of an original $5.3M contract, meaning that if Battle wants to improve his market value, he has to post a strong campaign.
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