Cincinnati Bengals’ rookie CB Dre Kirkpatrick up for starting role, signs four-year deal-NFL News
Rookie cornerback, Dre Kirkpatrick, who has joined the Cincinnati Bengals as the 17th pick overall in the 2012 National Football League (NFL) draft, is set to compete for starting role with Bengals’ experienced cornerback, Leon Hall, who is expected
to return to the squad in the upcoming season on recovery from a torn Achilles tendon injury.
Although there is no immediate update on the latest status of Hall’s injury and recovery, independent reports have cited people having knowledge of the process claiming that he would be ready and fit before the start of the next season.
Nothing more is said by any of the concerned stakeholders as far as the timeline of the player’s gaining of previous health and fitness matters.
Meanwhile, Bengals have signed Kirkpatrick to a four-year contract worth $8.6 million, which includes $7.84 million guaranteed on the deal, as told by the player’s agent, Brian Overstreet, to a section of media.
Surprisingly, the signing has come rather swiftly as Bengals have historically been known for longer holdouts in landing deals to rookies.
The players had to wait for as long as the start of the training camp and in some cases even beyond to win contracts from the team.
Apparently, the change in the management’s policy has come as a result of signing of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which included rules about the rookie salary cap.
This is the second consecutive year that Bengals have signed rookies before start of training camp, which is a good development for the team and even better for the draft players.
Bengals’ coach, Marvin Lewis, said:
"It's great for the club and great for Dre to have him signed this early. Contracts can be a distraction for young guys drafted high, but now he can put all that behind him and focus on making himself better and making us a better team."
Some analysts have noted Kirkpatrick’s signing as the fastest ever since 2003, when the team had a deal with rookie quarterback, Carson Palmer. Bengals had reached an agreement with the player even before the draft because they qualified for the top pick
of that year’s draft.
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