The Cincinnati Bengals had the right idea when they signed defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins back in 2024.
Case in point, Rankins is back with the Houston Texans now and just helped slam home a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL playoffs.
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Along the way, Rankins did this:
The Bengals had hopes Rankins would have done similar for them in 2024.
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Unfortunately, Rankins was cut by the Bengals after 2024 and later revealed that he battled viral meningitis and shingles that caused him to lose 50 or more pounds.
The Bengals cut Rankins and moved on last offseason, which was understandable at the time given the unknowns around him. Clearly, he’s back on track. He’s a key part of an elite front seven and ranked as the 19th defensive tackle in the NFL at PFF on a list of 134.
Even so, the Bengals clearly had the right idea with Rankins. They needed an interior presence who could rush the passer…and still do. T.J. Slaton was an average addition in free agency last year, BJ Hill had an up-and-down season and Kris Jenkins Jr. flashed at times.
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Going into the offseason, the Bengals still need to fill a Rankins-style hole in their defense. Their concept was correct, but bad luck played a part. They’ve got cap space and a top-10 draft pick to potentially take another high-profile shot at it.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Former Bengals free agent signing proves team right in playoffs