Details On Kevin Minter's Deal
- Kevin Minter, LB (Bengals): One year, $4MM. $2.1MM guaranteed. (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
Kevin Minter To Open As Bengals' MLB
- Recently added Bengals linebacker Kevin Minter will begin his Cincinnati career as a middle ‘backer, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Minter played as a 3-4 inside ‘backer with the Cardinals. However, it’s possible he could see time on the strong side in the Bengals’ 4-3 set. Vontaze Burfict and Vincent Rey are the likely incumbents set to flank Minter. Karlos Dansby returned to the Cardinals, beginning the teams’ indirect swap of non-rush ‘backers and leaving a bit of a hole on Cincinnati’s second level.
Bengals Still Interested In Reuben Foster
- Despite Kevin Minter pledging to come to Cincinnati for the 2017 season, Reuben Foster remains an option for the Bengals with their No. 9 overall pick, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. Minter signed a one-year deal, and Foster — if taken at No. 9 overall — would be under team control for five. Plus, Minter has positional versatility that would allow him to play alongside the Alabama middle linebacker.
Bengals, Kevin Minter Discussed Specific Position Before Deal
- Before the two sides came together on a deal, the Bengals and Kevin Minter debated what linebacker position he would play in Cincinnati’s 4-3 scheme, writes Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Minter seems likely to play both middle and strong-side ‘backer, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who writes Cincinnati inked Minter with an eye towards retaining compensatory picks. As I hinted at in PFR’s post on the signing, Minter’s addition could ultimately lead to the release of veteran LB Rey Maualuga.
Bengals Sign Kevin Minter
The Bengals announced the signing of linebacker Kevin Minter on Monday morning. It’s a one-year deal worth roughly $4.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter links). While the Bengals were willing to give Minter a lengthier contract, Minter wants the opportunity to hit the 2018 free agent market, tweets Owczarski.
Searching for a linebacker to join the club’s incumbent crop after losing Karlos Dansby to the Cardinals, Cincinnati met with both Minter and fellow free agent Keenan Robinson over the past week. Minter, who now becomes the second external free agent signed by the Bengals (joining Andre Smith), will vie for playing time along with Vontaze Burfict, Vincent Rey, Nick Vigil, and — for now — Rey Maualuga.
Minter, 26, ranked as PFR’s No. 22 overall free agent, but didn’t quite see his market develop as expected. While Minter had expressed a desire to reunite with former Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in New York, only the Colts and Bengals had invited Minter for a visit since the free agent period opened. In PFR’s most recent positional power rankings, Minter placed second at linebacker behind only Zach Brown.
Minter has started all 32 games over the past two seasons, and played the most snaps (1,003) of any Cardinals linebacker in 2016. In that time, he racked up 81 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and four passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 25 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Bengals Re-Sign T.J. Johnson
- The Bengals have re-signed restricted free agent center T.J. Johnson, tweets James Palmer of NFL Network. The three-year veteran is coming off his first 16-game season, in which he logged the lone start of his career.
Andre Smith Moving To Right Guard
- Although the Bengals’ Andre Smith has served as an offensive tackle during his entire eight-year career, he’ll shift to right guard in his ninth season, writes Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “We think he has chance to be a really good player for us there,” said Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander. Smith, who spent his first seven seasons in Cincinnati and 2016 in Minnesota, returned to the Bengals on Tuesday on a one-year deal. He’ll replace former line mate and standout right guard Kevin Zeitler, who signed a massive contract with the AFC North rival Browns at the outset of free agency.
Bengals Hosted LB Keenan Robinson
The Bengals met with free agent linebacker Keenan Robinson on Monday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Cincinnati is on the hunt for linebacker depth after seeing veteran Karlos Dansby leave for Arizona. Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga, additionally, is a candidate to be released (a move that would save the Bengals roughly $3.6MM), so the club is now looking for an experienced player who can fill in behind Vontaze Burfict, Vincent Rey, and Nick Vigil, preferably at a low cost. Robinson, for what it’s worth, earned just north of $2.5MM on a one-year deal with the Giants last year.
Robinson, 27, spent last season with New York after playing for the division rival Redskins from 2012-15. While he only started six games for Big Blue, Robinson appeared in all 16 contests and saw action on more than 70% of the Giants’ defensive snaps. In that time, Robinson posted 79 tackles and seven passes defensed, but graded out as a bottom-10 NFL linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus. Robinson does offer special teams value, however, as he chipped in on 129 ST snaps in 2016.
Bengals To Sign Andre Smith
The Bengals will reunite with Andre Smith, as they’ve agreed to sign the free agent tackle, according to Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Smith will ink a one-year deal, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
Smith, 30, spent the first seven seasons of his career with Cincinnati after being selected sixth overall in the 2009 draft. While he didn’t become a full-time player until his third year in the league, Smith ultimately started 73 games for the Bengals at right tackle. After inking a one-year pact with the Vikings last offseason, Smith played in only four contests before being placed on injured reserve.
The Bengals’ offensive line is in flux after the club saw both Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler leave the club in free agency. With Cedric Ogbuehi projected to take over for Whitworth at left tackle, Smith could theoretically slide in at right tackle, allowing Jake Fisher to shift to guard to replace Zeitler. Instead, initial indications are Smith will play right guard, a position he’s never played at the NFL level, as Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes.
The Bills also made a “hard run” at Smith, per Darlington (Twitter link), but Smith preferred to head back to Cincinnati.
Bengals Waive James Wright
- The Browns announced they’ve claimed wide receiver James Wright, whom Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link) yesterday reported had been waived by the Bengals. Wright, a former seventh-round draft pick, is entering the final season of his rookie deal. Afflicted by a nagging knee injury, Wright managed to appear in only 24 games with the Bengals, primarily serving as a special teams player during that span. The 25-year-old will now reunite with former Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson in Cleveland.