The Cincinnati Bengals sign Eli Apple, the free agent, according to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo.
According to Tyler Dragon of Cincinnati.com, Apple’s agreement is only one year.
CB Eli Apple signs a one-year deal with the #Bengals, per source.
– Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) March 23, 2021
Apple, a sixth-year player from Ohio State University, was originally a draft pick in the first round by the New York Giants in 2016. Apple started 23 games for the Giants before joining the Giants just before 2018. New Orleans Saints traded. trade deadline. Apple then started 25 games for the Saints through the 2019 season before its rookie contract expired.
In its first four years in the league, Apple amassed 197 solo packages, 33 defensive passes, three interceptions and three forced whispers. In 2018, he achieved his highest Pro Football Focus defense rating (65) and coverage (64.2).
Apple signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers in the off-season in 2020, but injuries limited him to just two games played during the season. The Panthers released him on October 27, and he has been a free agent ever since.
After playing with the Giants and Saints, Apple has some connections with the Bengals. Defense coordinator Lou Anarumo was the Giants’ secondary coach during Apple’s final season in the Big Apple. In New Orleans, Apple played with Vonn Bell and Trey Hendrickson, and his association with Bell goes back to his OSU days when the two played two seasons in the same secondary series and were a national championship. According to Apple’s most striking game in the NFL, he forced a fucked game against the Seattle Seahawks and Bell returned it for an offense.
The Bengals were aggressive last week with the signing of Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton, but they still need a better depth than they had last year. Apple co-founded the position group with Darius Phillips and Tony Brown.
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