CINCINNATI -- Apparently, Dre Kirkpatrick knows something the rest of us don't.
He has reason to believe he already has won the Cincinnati Bengals' left cornerback job.
"I'm the starter. Point-blank. Period," the fourth-year defensive back told ESPN on Monday.
Kirkpatrick (pictured) didn't want to get into why exactly he was completely convinced the job was his, but he believes the Bengals' supposed battle for the left starting cornerback job with Darqueze Dennard has long concluded.
Maybe the fourth-year cornerback has been told he should expect to begin next week's organized team activities (OTAs) and next month's mandatory minicamp as the No. 1 player at the position. Terence Newman, 36, played the position the past three seasons before signing with Minnesota this offseason.
Or maybe Kirkpatrick is simply convinced he has earned the role because of how well he played it at the end of last season. In relief of a hurt and at times ineffective Newman the last two weeks of the regular season, Kirkpatrick mostly thrived. Although he gave up a pivotal 63-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown in the regular-season finale at Pittsburgh that served as the de facto AFC North title game, he also intercepted Peyton Manning twice in crucial moments during a win the week before.
As much as the Brown touchdown hurt in the loss to the Steelers, Kirkpatrick's coaches and teammates credited him with playing the pass as well as he could have. Brown made a savvy veteran move of pulling Kirkpatrick out of the play at the last second without getting flagged for offensive pass interference. And quarterback Ben Roethlisberger perfectly placed the ball in the spot Kirkpatrick had just been pulled from.
Against Manning, Kirkpatrick guessed right twice in the final three minutes and picked off two passes, including one that he returned for a touchdown.
Kirkpatrick has clearly grown tired of fielding questions about the presumed competition with Dennard. His bold proclamations were the product of that. Minutes after trying to watch his words while giving an interview with another reporter about the position battle, he expressed his frustration.
"I'm the starter," he said, "and I know I've been the starter."
Though Kirkpatrick might be convinced the competition is over, Bengals coaches have given no public indication that it is. They anticipate going into the summer with Dennard and Kirkpatrick pushing one another for the top left cornerback role.
This offseason, Dennard, the second-year player who was part of just 58 defensive snaps as a rookie, said he was like "a shark" as it pertained to the left cornerback job. He felt, and continues to feel, that he can win the starting job.
"I see blood in the water," Dennard said.
That's certainly not what Kirkpatrick sees. To him, the water looks pretty clear.