SPORTS

Bengals sign free agent LB Kevin Minter

Jim Owczarski
jowczarski@enquirer.com
Arizona Cardinals middle linebacker Kevin Minter (51) is reportedly signing with the Bengals.

The Enquirer has confirmed through multiple league sources on March 18 that the Cincinnati Bengals will once again be turning to the free agent market to bolster its linebacker room by looking to sign Kevin Minter to a one-year deal that could reach a total of $4.5 million.

The club made the signing official on March 20.

“The Bengals have a very stout defense, but my goal is to come in and play every down,” Minter said in a statement released by the team. “I’m excited to be a part of it. The way the organization embraced me on my visit, it just feels right.”

The team was seeking a more long-term agreement, but Minter was content to ink essentially a "prove it" deal with the Bengals.

Minter fits a different profile than the signings of A.J. Hawk and Karlos Dansby the last two years, however, as Minter is 26 years old and has worked his way into the starting lineup in Arizona the last two years.

A 2013 second-round draft out of LSU, Minter appeared in 29 games with five starts in his first two years, he has started all 32 games the last two years. He played in 93.2 percent of the Cardinals defensive snaps last season.

The Enquirer learned through another league source that his position within the Bengals' scheme was the subject of some debate as Minter was an inside linebacker in Arizona’s 3-4 defense. But, he was rated as the fifth-best free agent linebacker on the market by Pro Football Focus (PFF).

The analytics site said Minter was inconsistent in his play over the year, with 20 missed tackles, but was an above-average coverage player.

Perhaps anticipating Minter’s departure, the Cardinals brought Dansby back with a one-year deal earlier in free agency.