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Bengals running back Jeremy Hill says he’s the starter

By Brad Berreman

Dec 4, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cincinnati Bengals may draft a running back early , but Jeremy Hill sees no threat to his status.

The Cincinnati Bengals had a disappointing 2016 season, as a string of consecutive playoff appearances came to an end. Head coach Marvin Lewis may be on the hot seat, without a contact beyond the 2017 season right now, and some changes may come sooner than that to the depth chart at certain positions.

The Bengals have done some due diligence on the running back class in this year’s draft, including Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, D’Onta Foreman and most recently Leonard Fournette. Fournette was in Cincinnati for a visit and a workout in recent days, and if he’s available he could be an option for the Bengals at No. 9 overall.

Bengals running Jeremy Hill said he welcomes competition via the draft, as it’s the nature of the business.

"“Not at all. That’s what the NFL is,” Hill said. “I don’t think when they drafted me, they said in my contract, they won’t draft any more running backs, so I think that’s understood, that’s part of the business.”"

On NFL Network’s Up to the Minute Live with Andrew Siciliano, Hill expressed confidence about his place in the pecking order if the Bengals do draft a running back early.

"“If they wanna draft the back high, go ahead and do it. They’re probably going to be my backup.”"

After a 2014 rookie season where he rushed for 1,124 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry, Hill has averaged less than four yards per carry in each the last two seasons. His workload has been remarkably the same, with 222, 223 and 222 carries in his three seasons, while scoring 29 touchdowns over that span. But Hill is entering the final year of his contract, and he left a lot to be desired in 2015 and 2016.

Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals 7-Round Mock

Hill has to talk confidently, but the only thing keeping him atop the depth chart right now is Giovani Bernard’s ongoing recovery from a torn ACL last November. If the Bengals draft a running back early, all bets are off for Hill. A significant role would not be guaranteed in that scenario, and his odds of securing a spot on the 53-man roster may be diminished.

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