Every chance we get to suggest the Cincinnati Bengals bring back some of their own free agents still, we point to the depth boon names like Eli Apple and Mitchell Wilcox could still provide.
Those Bengals still have a handful of notable free agents left on the market just before the draft.
And as a note from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com shows, some of those names could still be in play:
STILL ON RADAR: Depending on how the draft unfolds, the Bengals could end up re-signing some guys. Besides Brandon Allen, they could also bring back cornerbacks Eli Apple and Tre Flowers, tight end Mitchell Wilcox and linebacker Clay Johnson. Wilcox and Johnston are undergoing extensive rehabs.
Apple makes the most sense, provided he’s willing to come back in a depth role. He was shoved into starting duty two years in a row and responded very well, clearly benefitting from the program and Lou Anarumo’s defense. Even if the Bengals draft a corner in Round 1, bringing him back would make a ton of sense.
Similar story for Wilcox and Clay Johnston, two key depth pieces who can reinforce important areas of the depth chart even if the team adds a rookie to those spots.
These signings would likely happen after the draft and into the summer, if at all — but they make a ton of sense, so don’t forget.
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