But again, Newman has been somewhat effective of late. Here's an indication of how:
24.0
That is the number of opposing quarterback dropbacks he's been credited with disrupting the past three seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Among Bengals defensive backs, that ranks as the third-highest total in that stretch. It ranks as 47th among league defensive backs in that same time span.
OK, so those 24 disrupted dropbacks don't look all that great when compared to the rest of the league. But considering the rotations the Bengals play at cornerback, and the fact the position has been one of the most consistently solid spots throughout Newman's three-year stay in Cincinnati, that number isn't too low after all.
Adam Jones leads the Bengals cornerbacks with 33 disrupted dropbacks since 2012. Safety
Reggie Nelson is next with 28.5.
What is a disrupted dropback? They are defined as any sack, defended pass, batted ball or interception. Since cornerbacks very seldom come off the edge as blitzers in the Bengals' defensive scheme, and since Newman wouldn't be the first cornerback they would send on such a rare blitz, he didn't have a sack or a batted ball in his time in Cincinnati. But he did intercept five passes and break up another 19.
