Tracking The Bengals In Free Agency

In the NFL, "March Madness" refers to the start of the new league year and free agency. Less than two weeks since the new league year began, the Bengals have been busy constructing the 2019 roster by retaining some of their own unrestricted and exclusive rights free agents. New talent from around the league has also been brought in, along with familiar faces returning to Cincinnati. Here’s the list of those who have officially signed with the Bengals. One quick note, the reported signings only including transactions officially announced by the team. Free Agents Retained By The BengalsTyler Eifert, TE Eifert, a seventh-year player in 2019, originally was the Bengals’ first-round draft pick in 2013. Last season, he caught 15 passes for 179 yards and one TD, before suffering a broken right ankle in Game 4 at Atlanta and missing the rest of the year. For his career, Eifert has played in 43 games (33 starts) and recorded 142 receptions for 1716 yards and 21 touchdowns. His most notable season came in 2015, when he caught 13 TDs — the most ever by a Bengals TE — and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl in the initial voting.C.J. Uzomah, TE Uzomah, a fifth-year player in 2019, originally joined the Bengals as a fifth-round draft pick in 2015. He has played in 45 career games (27 starts), and has 79 catches for 769 yards and five TDs. Last season, Uzomah logged career-highs in receptions (43), receiving yards (439) and receiving TDs (three), while playing in all 16 games (15 starts) for the first time in his career. He has also been a valuable player on special teams, with 14 career special teams tackles, including a career-high 12 in 2017 (second on team).Darqueze Dennard, CB A sixth-year player in 2019, Dennard originally was the Bengals’ first-round draft pick in ’14. He had become an unrestricted free agent on March 13, the start of the new league year. Dennard played in 13 games (nine starts) last season, recording 67 total tackles (53 solos) on defense, as well as six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. His tackle total ranked fourth on the team.Preston Brown, LB Brown joined the Bengals last offseason as an unrestricted free agent, after spending his first four seasons (2014-17) with the Buffalo Bills. In his first year in Cincinnati, he served as the team’s No. 1 MLB and recorded 42 tackles and two INTs, despite being limited by ankle and knee injuries to just seven games (all starts). Prior to joining the Bengals, he had played in all 64 possible regular-season games (62 starts) since entering the NFL in 2014. He originally was the Bills’ third-round draft pick (73rd overall) out of Louisville in the 2014 draft. Brown, who will turn 27 in October, is a Cincinnati native and graduate of Northwest High School.Bobby Hart, T Hart, a fifth-year player in 2019, signed with Cincinnati as an unrestricted free agent last year and went on to start all 16 games at ROT. He was one of four new regular starters along the offensive line in 2018, and contributed to a blocking effort that helped HB Joe Mixon lead the AFC in rushing yards (1168). Hart, who will turn 25 in August, played three seasons (2015-17) with the N.Y. Giants prior to joining the Bengals. He has played in 49 career games, with 37 starts.Brandon Wilson, S Wilson, who will be a third-year player in 2019, joined the Bengals as a sixth-round draft pick in 2017 and has played in 24 games over his first two seasons. Considered a core special teams contributor for the Bengals, he ranked second in ST tackles last season (nine) and tied for fourth in 2017 (five).Trey Hopkins, G/C Hopkins, a fourth-year player in 2019, joined the Bengals as a college free agent out of the University of Texas in 2014. He has played in 30 career games, and his 21 starts include 13 games at RG, two at LG and six at C. Hopkins signed the second-round tender the Bengals extended to him on March 8.Josh Tupou, DT Tupou, a third-year player in 2019, joined the Bengals as a college free agent out of the University of Colorado in 2017. He has played in seven games over his first two seasons, and has recorded nine tackles. He spent the final six games of 2018 on the Reserve/Injured list, due to a pectoral injury. Tupou signed the exclusive rights tender the Bengals extended to him on March 8. Free Agents Added To The RosterB.W. Webb, CB Webb (5-11, 190), a sixth-year player in 2019, spent last season with the N.Y. Giants. He originally was a fourth-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2013, and has also spent time with Pittsburgh (’14), Tennessee (’15), New Orleans (’16) and Cleveland (’17). He has played in 65 career games (23 starts), and has 127 tackles, 20 passes defensed, three interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. Last year with the Giants, Webb played in all 16 games (13 starts), and had 59 tackles, including a sack, with six passes defensed, one INT and a forced fumble.John Miller, G Miller (6-3, 315), a fifth-year player in 2019, spent the last four seasons with Buffalo. He played in 47 career games (all starts) for the Bills, and helped the team to top 10 rankings in rushing offense in each of his four seasons. Miller entered the NFL as the Bills’ third-round draft pick (81st overall) out of the University of Louisville in 2015.Kerry Wynn, DE Wynn (6-5, 264), a sixth-year player in 2019, spent the last five seasons (’14-18) with the N.Y. Giants. He played in 62 career games (15 starts) for the Giants, and totaled 140 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five passes defensed, an interception and two forced fumbles. Last season, Wynn played in 14 games (five starts) and totaled 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.Bengals Departing In Free Agency Tyler Kroft, TE signed with Buffalo on March 14 Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, signed with Jacksonville on March 18 Jake Fisher, T, signed with Buffalo on March 22 Tom Savage, QB, signed with Detroit on April 9