Brandon LaFell re-signs with Bengals, keeping wide receiver corps from another reset

Wide receiver Brandon LaFell is staying put with the Cincinnati Bengals, re-signing with the team one day before he was set to become a free agent.

According to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer, it’s a two-year, $10 million deal for LaFell that will keep him with the team through the 2018 season.

The 30-year-old receiver is coming off runs with the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots before settling in with the Bengals in 2016. The Panthers made LaFell a third-round pick out of LSU in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was largely a disappointment in four years in Carolina, never reaching 50 catches or 700 receiving yards.

The Panthers let LaFell reach free agency in 2014 and he landed with the Patriots on a three-year, $9 million contract. With Tom Brady delivering him the ball, LaFell had his best year yet with 74 catches, 953 yards, and seven touchdowns. However, LaFell’s fortunes took a sharp turn in 2015. A lingering foot injury limited him to 11 games and he failed to score a single touchdown.

The Patriots released LaFell after that season and he got a one-year deal with the Bengals. LaFell started off as the No. 2 receiver, ahead of rookie Tyler Boyd. He was forced into being Andy Dalton’s top target when A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert suffered injuries. LaFell had a strong close to the season and finished with 64 catches for 862 yards and six touchdowns.

With the return a healthy receiving corps, the Bengals will have some options for Dalton to work with, although the team is still recovering from the simultaneous losses of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu a year ago. Avoiding the loss of LaFell gives the Bengals a leg up on the 2017 offseason.