David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The organized training activities for the Cincinnati Bengals begin Wednesday. It will be Cincinnati’s first legitimate look at their offseason acquisitions, including outside pass rusher James Harrison. Unfortunately, cornerback Leon Hall will not be able to participate for the time being after he tore a ligament in his thumb.
The 28-year-old suffered the injury while he was lifting weights. The good news is it does not appear to be too serious as Hall should be able to take part in the OTAs at some point in the next couple weeks. With that being said, it is certainly something the Bengals must keep an eye on, as Hall is the top cornerback on the team.
The seven-year veteran missed all of OTAs last year while he still recovered from his serious Achilles injury. Hall suffered the injury on November 13, 2011 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fans do not need to worry, as the torn ligament in his thumb is nowhere near as threatening as the strained Achilles.
Hall is considered one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the NFL. Cincinnati will only go as far as their defense will take them in 2013, especially since they play in the very competitive AFC North. If Hall is healthy, the defense will be able to handle themselves when they are pushed to the brink. However, if he is unable to contribute on a consistent basis then the defense could struggle against talented teams with multiple weapons.
Obviously, it does not all fall on Hall’s shoulders. Defensive backs Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick must make some noise in the secondary as well.
Hall posted 38 combined tackles, 11 passes defended, two interceptions for 61 yards and one defensive touchdown in 14 games last season.
Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
