Paul Guenther regrets not playing Bengals CB Darqueze Dennard more

A combination of being a rookie player, playing under a rookie defensive coordinator may have been part of why Darqueze Dennard rarely saw the field as a rookie.

Drafted 24th overall out of Michigan State, Dennard played just 61 defensive snaps last year, and Paul Guenther now realizes that probably wasn't enough.

Speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine Friday, Guenther admitted he should have played Dennard more in his rookie year, and there's no reason to doubt that the former Spartan has a bright future.

"He's going to compete this year," Guenther said at the combine, via ESPN. "I probably should have gotten him on the field more. But it's tough when you have Leon [Hall], you have Pac [Adam Jones], you have Terence [Newman]. But sometimes you've got to be around those guys for you to learn really what it's like to do it."

"I'm really high on Darqueze. He's going to compete this year."

It will be hard for Dennard to see the field next year if Terence Newman is brought back, as he's the only free agent cornerback the Bengals could lose. Newman played 883 snaps as a full-time starter last year, so if he's gone, there's going to be a lot of snaps to be had by Dennard.

There's also the possibility the Bengals try to lessen Adam Jones' snap count as he turns 32 in September, while giving him the same, if not more return-man snaps.

Either way, expect Dennard to see the field a lot more in 2015.