Kevin Coyle's Thoughts on Nate Clements and Gibril Wilson

With the Bengals first preseason game against the Detroit Lions and superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson (aka Megatron) looming on Friday night, Bengals fans will not have to wait long to see how the secondary looks sans Jonathon Joseph. Secondary coach Kevin Coyle recently discussed cornerback Nate Clements, signed to replace Joseph and safety Gibril Wilson, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury.

Clements was drafted by the Buffalo Bills and later signed with the San Francisco 49ers. At the time of his signing with the 49ers, Clements became the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. The Bengals prefer their corners to play man coverage and Coyle believes that the defense will not have to change it's approach with the signing of Clements. Coyle had this to say on Clements:

"He played at a high level for a long time. He's got a lot of experience, he understands the game, he's smart, competitive, tough. He's been through the battles against the best receivers in the league and he's won a lot more of his share than they have."

Wilson, who signed with the squad last season, will be looked upon to offset the loss of Roy Williams and Chinedum Ndukwe. Wilson was drafted by the New York Giants and had four productive years with the team. He started 51 out of 52 possible games while earning himself a super bowl ring. Speaking about Wilson, Coyle said,

"I'm excited about what Gibril (Wilson) can give us if he holds up. The way he was playing before he got hurt had me thinking he was going to be a real factor for us."

He definitely has the talent and experience to be a valuable back up at the safety position for the Bengals. The only question remains is whether or not he can stay healthy.