A 2024 free agent acquisition, Rankins brings 109 games of NFL experience to the Bengals' D-line room ... Originally a first-round draft pick of New Orleans (12th overall) in 2016; spent first five pro seasons with Saints ... Spent the 2021-22 seasons with N.Y. Jets, before playing for Houston in '23 ... A capable pass rusher from the inside, he has 29.5 career sacks along with 43 TFLs, five FFs and three FRs ... Also has played in seven career postseason games (five with Saints, two with Texans) ... Was teammates with Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson and S Vonn Bell in New Orleans ... Had perhaps his best career performance against the Bengals at Paycor Stadium, when in Week 10 of 2023 he sacked QB Joe Burrow three times to help lead the Texans to a road win.
Selected by New Orleans in first round of NFL Draft (12th overall) on 4-28-16... Signed with Saints on 5-9-16 ... Saints exercised team option on 4-23-19 to extend rookie contract by one year through 2020 ... Contract with Saints was renegotiated on 9-9-20 ... Saints contract expired on 3-17-21; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with N.Y. Jets as unrestricted free agent on 3-23-21 ... Jets contract expired on 3-15-23; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Houston as unrestricted free agent on 3-18-23 ... Texans contract expired on 3-13-24; became unrestricted free agent ... Signed with Cincinnati as unrestricted free agent on 3-18-24.
2016—Played in nine games as rookie for New Orleans ... Spent first eight weeks of season on Reserve/Injured due to fibula injury, before being activated Nov. 5 ... Recorded 20 tackles (15 solos), four sacks, three TFLs and one FF ... Made NFL debut Nov. 6 at San Francisco; had one solo stop ... Had first career sack Nov. 13 vs. Denver, when he tackled QB Trevor Siemian for two-yard loss in third quarter ... On Nov. 27 vs. L.A. Rams, strip-sacked QB Jared Goff in second quarter, resulting in fumble recovered by Saints that set up New Orleans TD four plays later.
2017—Played/started all 16 regular-season games for New Orleans ... Totaled 26 tackles (16 solos), with two sacks and five TFLs ... Added one INT, one PD and one FF ... Had three-tackle stat line and FF Oct. 22 at Green Bay ... Had first career INT Nov. 12 at Buffalo, when he picked off QB Tyrod Taylor in third quarter and returned it 27 yards to Bills' three-yard line; play set up Saints TD on following snap ... Also had two TFLs with one sack against Bills ... On Dec. 24 vs. Atlanta, sacked QB Matt Ryan on final play of regulation to secure Saints win ... Started first career postseason game in NFC Wild Card Playoff on Jan. 7 vs. Carolina, logging five tackles ... Followed up with five tackles in Divisional Playoff on Jan. 14 at Minnesota, including sack on third down to force Vikings punt in third quarter.
2018—Started all 16 games for New Orleans ... Had 40 tackles (26 solos), eight sacks, 12 TFLs, one PD and one FF ... Eight sacks ranked second on team ... Key contributor on defense that ranked second in NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (80.2) ... Posted season-high six tackles Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland, including sack in second quarter to force punt ... Had two-sack performance Oct. 28 at Minnesota, including takedown of QB Kirk Cousins on third down in third quarter that forced Vikings punt ... Tallied a sack in three straight games (Games 9-11) ... Logged three tackles, sack and PD Dec. 9 at Tampa Bay; sack was on QB Jameis Winston for loss of 14 yards on third down in fourth quarter, forcing Buccaneers punt ... Started Divisional Playoff Jan. 13 vs. Philadelphia, but left game in first quarter with leg injury which caused him to miss NFC Championship the following week.
2019—Played in 10 games for New Orleans ... Spent first three games on Reserve/Injured list due to leg injury sustained in previous postseason ... Spent final three games on Reserve/Injured list due to ankle injury ... Recorded 10 tackles and two TFLs ... Helped Saints defense rank fourth in NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (91.3).
2020—Played 12 games with one start for New Orleans ... Spent four games (Games 8-11) on Reserve/Injured list due to knee injury ... Totaled 20 tackles, with 1.5 sacks and three TFLs, along with one PD ... Helped Saints defense rank fourth in NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (93.9) ... Posted season-high five tackles Oct. 12 vs. L.A. Chargers, including sack on QB Justin Herbert on first-and-goal for loss of eight yards ... Played both Saints postseason games, recording three tackles with one sack and one TFL.
2021—Played in 16 games (three starts) in first season for N.Y. Jets ... Inactive for one game (Game 12) ... Registered 32 tackles (15 solos), with three sacks and five TFLs, along with two FRs ... On Oct. 31 vs. Cincinnati, sacked QB Joe Burrow for loss of eight yards on third down to force Bengals punt in fourth quarter ... On Dec. 19 at Miami, sacked QB Tua Tagovailoa in third quarter, then in fourth quarter recovered a fumble as Dolphins attempted to punt, setting up Jets offense in Miami territory.
2022—Played and started 15 games for N.Y. Jets ... Inactive for two games (Games 10-11) ... Recorded 43 tackles (25 solos), with three sacks and four TFLs, along with one FF and one FR returned for TD ... Had six solo stops Sept. 25 vs. Cincinnati, including sack of QB Joe Burrow on first play of fourth quarter which pushed Bengals into third-and-long ... On Oct. 16 at Green Bay, sacked QB Aaron Rodgers for loss of nine yards on third down to force Packers punt in second quarter.
2023—Played and started 15 games for Houston ... Inactive for two games (Games 7-8) ... Totaled 37 tackles (29 solos), six sacks, nine TFLs, one FF and one FR ... Helped Texans defense rank sixth in NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (96.6) ... Had six tackles Oct. 15 vs. New Orleans, including first sack of season in third quarter on QB Derek Carr for minus-11 yards ... Had career-high three sacks Nov. 12 at Cincinnati, including FF on second sack ... Scored first career TD Dec. 31 vs. Tennessee, when he recovered a fumble at Titans' 13-yard line and returned it for score to give Texans 17-0 lead in second quarter ... Started both Texans postseason games, posting three solo tackles in AFC Divisional Playoff on Jan. 20 at Baltimore.
Spent four seasons (2012-15) at the University of Louisville, playing in 46 games with 29 starts ... Totaled 133 tackles (72 solos), 18 sacks, 31.5 TFLs, two INTs, four PDs, two FFs and two FRs ... Earned second-team All-ACC honors as a senior in 2015, following third-team recognition in '14 ... In 2015, posted career-high 58 tackles with six sacks, and had a 46-yard FR returned for a TD vs. Boston College ... Led team with career-high eight sacks as a junior in 2014 ... Started just twice in first 19 career games, then finished career with 27 consecutive starts.
Hometown is Covington, Ga. ... Attended Covington High School, where he was a two-time second-team All-State honoree ... Recorded 50 tackles, nine sacks and 17 TFLs as a senior in 2011 ... Majored in health and human performance at Louisville.
