Bengals sign Bills linebacker Preston Brown

The Cincinnati Bengals have signed a one-year deal with linebacker Preston Brown.

The Cincinnati Bengals continue to make moves surprising everyone this week. Earlier this week trading for Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Cordy Glenn to secure help along the offensive line and now the team has signed former Bills linebacker Preston Brown to a one-year deal.

Browns entered the league as a third-round pick for the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft. Finishing up his rookie contract with the Bills, the young linebacker decided he wanted to return home to Cincinnati where he grew up despite receiving an offer from the Bills. 

This is another big splash signing by the Bengals that fans have been asking for. Brown is an immediate impact and upgrade in the linebacker group. In his first four seasons with the Bills, Brown has collected more than 100 combined tackles in each season. Last season was Brown’s most productive year with 144 combined tackles and 3 pass deflections.

The 6’2″, 256-pound linebacker has also been reliable not missing a single game in his first four years. This is great news for Bengals fans as Cincinnati’s best linebacker Vontaze Burfict has struggled to stay on the field over the years between injuries and suspensions. When Burfict has been off the field, the defense has struggled tremendously.

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Brown will be a huge upgrade over Bengals free agent Kevin Minter from last season. Between the trade of Glenn and signing of now Brown, could the Bills be returning a favor to the Bengals for knocking out division rival Baltimore Ravens from the playoffs in week 17 elevating the Bills to their first playoffs appearance since 1999?