Cincinnati Bengals Announce That Tight End Donald Lee Is Returning

Thursday night Geoff Hobson wrote that tight end Donald Lee was close to re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. On Friday the organization confirmed that they have signed Donald Lee (as well as Terence Newman), reuniting the Bengals triplet of tight ends from last season. Lee only generated 11 receptions for 115 yards receiving in nine games played last season, but he was largely used as a blocking tight end.

Of the 276 offensive snaps that Lee took part in during Cincinnati's playoff season last year, 52.3 percent were during running plays. However when he ran routes during Andy Dalton's aerial assault, eight of his 11 receptions in 2011 took place between the numbers, with his most lethal area as a receiver being 10-19 yards from the line of scrimmage.

Lee's return gives the Bengals three tight ends signed for 2011, including starter Jermaine Gresham and second-year player Colin Cochart.

As we pointed out earlier in the posting, the Bengals also officially announced the signing of veteran cornerback Terence Newman.