The Cincinnati Bengals just added a Super Bowl champion at a major position of need on the defensive side of the ball.
Cincinnati will sign former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks to a two-year, $5 million contract according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Burks should get an opportunity to start in Cincinnati.
Burks began his NFL career in Green Bay and spent his first four seasons with the Packers. He then spent two seasons as a member of the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Eagles prior to the 2024 season.
Bengals add linebacker Oren Burks on a two-year deal
The 29-year-old appeared in all 17 regular season games for the Eagles in 2024 and recorded 41 total tackles, two tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles. He also played in all four of Philly's playoff games, and started in three of them due to an injury to starting linebacker Nakobe Dean.
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Burks started in Super Bowl 59 for the Eagles and recorded five tackles in Philadelphia's dominant 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals are clearly banking on Burks bringing some championship experience to a defense that struggled mightily last season.
If all goes according to plan, Burks will likely slide into a starting spot in Cincinnati to replace veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither, who signed a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. Davis-Gaither spent the first five seasons of his career with the Bengals.
There could be more change coming to Cincinnati's linebacker corps, too. Earlier this offseason, Germaine Pratt requested a trade away from the organization with one year remaining on his current contract. It remains to be seen whether or not the Bengals honor his request.