Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins catches a pass against Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals are adding to their defense, having agreed to a two-year deal with former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks.
Burks’s pact with the Bengals is reportedly worth $5 million, and he’ll collect an average of $2.5 million per season over the course of the deal, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It has the potential to be a bargain for Cincinnati, who are looking to cut costs in order to pay some of their own stars. Meanwhile, Burks, coming off the Super Bowl win with Philadelphia, is expected to have the opportunity to compete for a starting role.
Burks was a standout performer during the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX run, having stepped up amid an injury to Nakobe Dean. During the playoffs, he recorded 25 tackles, two forced fumbles, and 1.0 sacks. During the regular season, he made just two starts but appeared in all 17 games while playing on just 14% of the team’s defensive snaps.
The 29-year-old is entering his seventh NFL season, having previously played for the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and the Eagles. Cincinnati will be his fourth home in the NFL since being drafted in the third round in 2018 out of Vanderbilt.
