2:54pm: It’s a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal for Sims, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).
2:03pm: After spending two seasons with the Raiders, veteran defensive tackle Pat Sims is returning to the team with which he spent the first five years of his NFL career. The Bengals announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve brought back Sims, officially signing him to a new contract.
Sims, 29, was selected by the third round of the 2008 draft by the Bengals, and played 60 regular season contests for the team during his first five years in the league. The big defensive lineman left for Oakland after the 2012 season, and spent the last two seasons with the Raiders, starting 18 of the 32 games he played for the club. With seven career sacks, Sims doesn’t get to the quarterback too often, but he’s very solid against the run.
By re-signing Sims, the Bengals have brought back one of their former defensive players for the third time so far this offseason. The team also re-signed defensive end Michael Johnson and cornerback Brandon Ghee, former Cincinnati draftees who played elsewhere in 2014.