Bengals’ RB Giovani Bernard to be used as receiver

People don’t think of Lions’ running back Reggie Bush as a featured, full-time back. This is because he doesn’t always line up in the backfield, even if he plays a majority of his team’s snaps. Bush is often split out wide, as a receiver, to expand the offense and give the defense different looks they have to adjust to. His versatility and flexibility add to his overall value as a player.

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The same might now be said about Cincinnati’s Giovani Bernard.

Many experts questioned the Bengals’ selection of LSU running back Jeremy Hill in the NFL draft. After all, the team already had two running backs who wanted carries in Bernard and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Speculation ran rampant that Green-Ellis would be released or Bernard would lose many of his touches to the rookie.

Instead, it appears as though Cincinnati is just going to get more creative with Bernard. According to Paul Dehner of Cincinnati.com, the Bengals will start using Gio as more of a receiver going forward. Running backs coach Kyle Caskey even mentioned Reggie Bush when making his point.

“We want him everywhere on the field. Make people guess where’s he at. You have to make a decision to either play the run or play the pass. What do you do when he’s on the field? He’s a lot like Reggie Bush where you have to be aware at all times.”

Not only should this quell the worries of Gio’s fantasy owners about his loss of touches, but it should also make the Bengals a more interesting and scary offense to deal with.