The Bengals today re-signed DE Robert Geathers. The signing takes Geathers off the unrestricted free agent market, which opened at 4 p.m. today.
Geathers (6-3, 280; Georgia) is a 10th-year NFL player in 2013. He has spent his entire career with Cincinnati, since being selected in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. He is the longest-tenured Bengal on the current roster. He has the most Bengals games played (134) and Bengals starts (104) on the roster, including starts in all 16 games plus the Wild Card playoff last season.
“Robert brings us not just fine and consistent play, but leadership and experience,” said head coach Marvin Lewis. “He’s a big part of our success with his own play, and I know our younger guys have talked about how he’s made them more effective players. We are glad he has chosen to remain a Bengal.”
Geathers had 45 tackles with 3.5 sacks last season, and he had five tackles in the Wild Card playoff game at Houston.
The Bengals are working to fill out the roster of key players to be re-signed from a defensive line that logged 40 sacks last season, leading the team to a club record of 51. DE Wallace Gilberry (6.5 sacks last year) re-signed with Cincinnati earlier today, and the Bengals have designated DE Michael Johnson (11.5 sacks) as the team’s franchise player for 2013.
Three other Bengals who could have opted for unrestricted free agency have re-signed with Cincinnati within the past week – LS Clark Harris, P Kevin Huber and K Mike Nugent. Also re-signing was HB Cedric Peerman, who could have become a restricted free agent.
