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Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

Bengals Host Curtis Riley

By | at March 21, 2019 10:46 pm

With former Giants defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo now in place in the Bengals‘ defensive coordinator, Cincinnati is attempting to corner the market on ex-New York defenders. Having already signed cornerback B.W. Webb and met with defensive end Kerry Wynn, the Bengals sat down with former Giants safety Curtis Riley on Thursday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A former undrafted free agent and special teamer with the Titans, Riley was forced into a premier role with New York in 2018 and ended up starting all 16 games. He looked overmatched, however, and graded as just the No. 79 safety among 93 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Cincinnati is already set at safety with Jessie Bates and Shawn Williams as 2019 starters, so Riley would likely revert to a special teams role if signed.

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Contract Details: Vaccaro, Callahan, Okafor

By | at March 21, 2019 10:20 pm

Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFL contracts, with all links going to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle’s Twitter account:

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Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/19

By | at March 21, 2019 9:04 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

Oakland Raiders

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Bengals To Meet With Kerry Wynn

By | at March 21, 2019 3:42 pm

Kerry Wynn will visit the Bengals on Thursday, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Wynn, a versatile lineman and quality special teams player, also has the interest of the incumbent Giants. 

Wynn, 28, notched 1.5 sacks and 39 tackles while playing both end and tackle last year. For his work in 393 snaps, Wynn graded out as the No. 77 ranked defensive tackle in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus. The Bengals, meanwhile, got solid performances from Geno Atkins (No. 18) and Andrew Billings (No. 38), plus quality support from Christian Ringo, Josh Tupou, Adolphus Washington, and Ryan Glasgow in smaller samples.

The Giants were interested in signing Vinny Curry, but he left the Bucs to return to the Eagles on Thursday. That could ramp up the Giants’ urgency in getting retaining Wynn, but he’ll first hear what the Bengals have to say.

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Contract Details: Ingram, Suggs, Kendricks

By | at March 19, 2019 10:52 pm

Here are the latest details from some agreed-upon contracts during the second wave of free agency. All links courtesy of the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, unless otherwise noted.

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Bengals Release Vontaze Burfict

By | at March 18, 2019 11:26 am

It’s the end of an era in Cincinnati. On Monday, the Bengals released linebacker Vontaze Burfict. 

Burfict, one of the league’s most controversial players, has been a pillar of the Bengals’ defense throughout his seven year career.

Over the years, Burfict has helped to anchor the Bengals’ front seven with his hard-hitting style. Unfortunately, his aggression blurred the line when it comes to rules and safety regulations. In seven seasons, Burfict racked up whopping 14 total fines and/or suspensions from the league office, including three times in 2018. Last year, his sanctions resulted from PEDs and hits on Antonio Brown, James Conner, and Andy Janovich. All in all, Burfict lost $4.2MM and ten games for his violations.

By releasing Burfict before the final year of his contract, the Bengals will take on $1.8M in dead money. However, they’ll save $5.5M on this year’s cap. Meanwhile, Burfict should find a decent market for his services, though you can expect teams like the Steelers to pass on him given their history together.

Burfict, 29 in September, went undrafted in 2012 thanks to a bad showing at the combine and rumors of a failed drug test. Quickly, Burfict proved that belonged in the NFL. As a rookie, he compiled 127 stops in 16 games (14 starts) and followed up with a Pro Bowl nod and a league-leading 177 tackles in his second pro season.

When on the field, Burfict is a bonafide difference maker as a middle linebacker. But, because of his issues, Burfict may not garner offers with guarantees beyond 2019 like many of his MLB counterparts have this offseason.

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Latest On Bengals, Darqueze Dennard

By | at March 17, 2019 9:50 pm

Still unsigned, Darqueze Dennard remains an option for the Bengals. But the franchise looks to have given the cornerback a price point. The Bengals have not closed the door on a reunion with the sixth-year cornerback, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, but they have since signed B.W. Webb and retained some of their own free agents. The most recent negotiations between Dennard and the Bengals revealed a disconnect, with the team viewing him as strictly a slot cornerback — and one they may not consider paying at the top-market slot price Justin Coleman just reset with the Lions. Dennard’s camp came in with an offer north of what Coleman just signed, proposing a deal north of $10MM per year with the Bengals, Dehner reports, adding the corner’s representation never came back to the table with the Bengals. The team was willing to keep Dennard at around $8.5MM AAV, but that was before reaching a deal with Webb. The new Bengal corner played for first-year DC Lou Anarumo with the Giants.

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Bengals Re-Sign TE Tyler Eifert

By | at March 16, 2019 12:36 pm

Tyler Eifert is sticking in Cincy. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the tight end is signing a one-year deal with the Bengals.

The 2013 first-round pick has spent his entire six-year career with the Bengals, and he’s been productive… when healthy. Eifert has only appeared in 13 or more games twice in his career, and he’s totaled only 14 contests over the past three years. The 28-year-old missed the majority of the 2017 season after undergoing both back and knee surgery, and a broken ankle limited him to only four games in 2018.

When Eifert’s been healthy, he’s been especially productive in the red zone. He had a breakout season in 2015 when he had 615 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He was even productive in his four games in 2018, hauling in 15 receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown. If the tight end is able to stay on the field, he’ll provide Andy Dalton with another target; the Bengals’ offense currently features running backs Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard as well as wideouts A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, and John Ross.

Besides Eifert, the Bengals currently have five tight ends on their roster. This grouping includes former fifth-rounder C.J. Uzomah, who finished last season with 43 receptions for 439 yards and three scores.

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Bengals Hosting DE Vinny Curry

By | at March 16, 2019 10:58 am

Vinny Curry is set for his first free agent meeting. Geoff Mosher of 97.3 ESPN in South Jersey reports (via Twitter) that the veteran defensive end is set to meet with the Bengals on Monday.

The 30-year-old signed a long-term deal with the Buccaneers last offseason, but the team cut him in early February. The former Eagles starter appeared in 12 games (seven starts) with Tampa Bay last season, compiling 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss.

While these numbers don’t jump off the page, Curry proved he was a capable starter in 2017. He surely won’t be able to receive a contract that approaches the three-year, $23MM deal he signed with the Bucs last offseason. However, pass rushers are always in demand, so Curry may be able to settle for a (relatively) big-money, short-term deal.

The Bengals aren’t hurting for defensive ends, with Carlos Dunlap and Sam Hubbard slotted in as starters. However, if Curry signs with Cincy, he’ll be able to compete with the likes of Carl Lawson and Jordan Willis for backup reps.

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Danny Shelton Met With Bengals

By | at March 15, 2019 4:58 pm

Former first-round pick Danny Shelton met with the Bengals recently, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

Shelton is a first-time free agent, hitting the market after the Patriots in 2018 declined to pick up his fifth-year option. He played well in a part-time capacity this past season, grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 27 overall interior defender. But Shelton was also a healthy scratch for multiple Pats games, clouding his appeal on the market.

A better run defender than pass rusher, the 6’2″, 345-pound Shelton played on roughly a third of New England’s defensive snaps a year ago, the lowest playing time percentage of his career. In 13 games, Shelton 21 tackles (one for loss) and one quarterback hit. The Patriots originally acquired Shelton and a fifth-round pick from the Browns in exchange for a third-round selection in March 2018.

Cincinnati’s entire defense was a mess last season, and the Bengals couldn’t stop anyone on the ground, ranking 30th in Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards. Shelton could potentially help in that capacity, although his playing time would likely come at the expense of promising fourth-year nose tackle Andrew Billings.

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