Cincinnati Bengals sign Vonn Bell: Grade, reaction and more
By John Buhler
After four years with the New Orleans Saints, safety Vonn Bell has signed a three-year deal to play for the Cincinnati Bengals in his free agency.
The Cincinnati Bengals have quietly made a few big splashes in free agency. After signing defensive tackle D.J. Reader away from the Houston Texans, the Bengals were able to land former New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell about a week later. Bell returns to the state where he played his college ball up in the road in Columbus for Ohio State.
According to Ian Rapport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Bell is signing a three-year deal to join the Bengals after four years with the Saints. Bell joins former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Trae Waynes as newcomers to the Bengals secondary. For a team that went 2-14 last season, the Bengals have been out-of-character this offseason making some serious moves.
Though it might be a while before the Bengals offense is back to what it was half a decade ago, it does seem the defense is getting better in a hurry. Adding players like Reader, Waynes and now Bell to a group that features two excellent front-seven players in Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap and the Bengals could be in for quite the turnaround defensively this fall.
Here are the contract details, the national reaction and a grade for Bell signing with the Bengals.
Contract Details
Updated: Per Rapoport and Garofolo’s initial report, it was a three-year deal to bring Bell to the Bengals and away from the Saints. A few hours later, Rapoport and Garafolo reported the three-year deal was worth $18 million with $11.5 million in guarantees. Bell will make on average $6 million each year of the life of this new deal he signed with the Bengals.
National Reaction
Former #Saints S Vonn Bell has a new home, agreeing on a 3-year deal with the #Bengals, per @MikeGarafolo and me. Another big-time free agent acquisition for Cincy.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 25, 2020
Vonn Bell: 25 years old - 5'11" - 205 lbs.
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) March 25, 2020
Box Strong Safety type with 3,600 career snaps already.
PFF has his run defense grade at 89.6 last year. So add another to that list.
Very good blitzer (11 sacks in career).
Career coverage: 68.3% completions, 10 TDs and just 1 INT
*Updated*
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) March 25, 2020
Players the #Bengals didn't have on the field last year, but will this coming year:
QB Joe Burrow (presumably)
WR A.J. Green
OT Jonah Williams
DT D.J. Reader
CB Trae Waynes
CB Mackensie Alexander
LB Josh Bynes
S Vonn Bell
Vonn Bell is returning to Ohio to play for the Cincinnati Bengals, who now lead the NFL with five former Ohio State players: Bell, Sam Hubbard, Michael Jordan, Billy Price and Isaiah Prince. https://t.co/Hju9Uc0Gqk
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) March 25, 2020
Bell was a former second-round pick by the Saints out of Ohio State. Known for his nose for the football, this is a tough loss for the Saints. While they did get former Saint Malcolm Jenkins back on a long-term deal, Bell is considerably younger than Jenkins and about to enter his prime as a professional football player.
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To see the Bengals be big spenders in free agency is odd. This is notoriously one of the cheapest teams in the NFL. The organization is taking the offseason seriously. Bell is now the fifth former Buckeye to play for the Bengals. Should the Bengals draft Joe Burrow No. 1 overall this spring, the former Ohio State graduate transfer to LSU will make it six. Great move for the Bengals.