Bengals lose core special teams player to Cardinals in free agency
When it came to offseason projections, one of the seemingly obvious points was the Cincinnati Bengals finding a way to retain linebacker Markus Bailey.
But in the wake of the 2024 NFL draft, that simply isn’t the case.
Tuesday, Bailey inked a deal with the Arizona Cardinals, meaning the former seventh-round pick out of Purdue will play with a new team for the first time.
Bailey had been key depth for the team in the base defense but had a critical role on special teams. Last year, he logged 309 snaps on special teams — 68 percent of the possible snaps.
Considering special teams turnover has been a problem point for Darrin Simmons’ unit over the last few years, the Bengals will need to move forward quickly with the likes of Joe Bachie.
This also opens the door for undrafted free agents Maema Njongmeta and Aaron Casey — the Bengals gave both guys big signing bonuses.
Bailey posted about his departure on social media:
Cincinnati,
I’m proud of the fact that I was a Bengal the last 4 years. The team that believed in me enough to draft me after my injury when no one else would. The team that gave me the opportunity to play in my home state where all my family and friends are. The team that no… pic.twitter.com/8bSqvzohJq
— Markus Bailey (@mb_boiler21) May 8, 2024
