The Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to a contract with free-agent cornerback Nate Clements, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Here are some early thoughts on the signing:
- This was a solid move by Cincinnati in the wake of losing No. 1 cornerback Johnathan Joseph. Clements, 31, is not as young and no longer as good as Joseph. But Clements can still be a viable starter in the NFL. He will pair with Leon Hall to make a solid tandem of corners.
- Cincinnati’s pursuit of Clements also makes you wonder about the future of Adam Jones. The Bengals tried to keep Joseph and immediately went after Clements, which could indicate they’re worried about a possible suspension with Jones. Recently, Jones seemed confident he was wrongfully arrested. He better be right, or it could lead to another lengthy NFL suspension. Jones also is coming off neck surgery, and the Bengals don’t appear willing to take any chances.
- The Bengals could be lacking speed on defense this year. Joseph was Cincinnati’s best pure athlete, and they’ve loss some speed by replacing Joseph with Clements. The Bengals also do not have much speed in their secondary as a group or their front seven.
