Taylor Mays, Brandon Ghee Working With First Team Defense

Safety Taylor Mays and cornerback Brandon Ghee are working with the first team defense on Wednesday at the team's second round of OTAs, according to Geoff Hobson.

Mays, is lined up as the team's starting strong safety next to Reggie Nelson. Mays started the 2012 season at strong safety, but eventually lost his job to Chris Crocker. This is the last year Mays is under contract with the Bengals and many believe this is his last chance to turn his career around.

Many believe the team's starter on opening day will be rookie Shawn Williams and not Mays, but Mays is getting a look now likely due to his familiarity with Mike Zimmer's system while Williams is still learning.

Ghee is lined up opposite of Terrence Newman in Leon Hall's spot while Hall recovers from a thumb injury. While Ghee is getting some good repetitions, the reason he's likely working with the first team defense is because Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick are sidelined along with Hall.

Kirkpatrick is still rehabbing from his knee injury that kept him sidelined and eventually placed on injured reserve in 2012 and Jones suffered what is believed to be a strained calf, which happened in the team's last round of OTAs.

Ghee, along with Shaun Prater, will likely fight to fill out depth at the cornerback position this season, but the more looks Ghee gets now, the better chance he has of making the team.

Hall was doing individual drills on Wednesday and is expected to be back in team drills next week. Kirkpatrick, however, isn't expected to be on the field until training camp begins just before the preseason.