Bengals sign former Texans starting safety Shiloh Keo to future contract

The Cincinnati Bengals have signed safety Shiloh Keo to a future/reserve contract, the team announced Saturday morning. A futures contract means that he's not officially with the Bengals until after the Super Bowl.

Keo didn't play any regular season games and was eventually waived by the Houston Texans on Sep. 30. He didn't sign with another team. Keo was a Texans fifth-round pick during the 2011 NFL draft and played every game in 2012 and 2013. He started 11 games in '13 but struggled to establish himself, with 63 tackles, an interception on 793 defensive snaps with a -4.6 grade, per Pro Football Focus.

However, if you view Keo as anything... think special teams. Per Keo's biography page on Texans.com:

CAREER: Has played in 42 regular season games with 11 starts and made 68 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed to go along with 18 career special teams tackles.
Has played in all four postseason games in franchise history and has recorded three special teams tackles in those games.
Transitioned to full-time starter on defense in 2013 from special teams contributor his first two seasons
Named a special teams captain in 2012.

...

In 2012:

Named a special teams captain by his teammates midway through the season
Saw action on special teams in the first nine games
Made a special teams tackle at Denver (9/23)
Assisted on two tackles vs. Green Bay (10/14)
Made a tackle on special teams vs. Baltimore (10/21)
Named Special Teams Player of the Game after recording two special teams tackles vs. Buffalo (11/4)
Made two special teams tackles at Chicago (11/11) 
Assisted on two special teams tackles vs. Jacksonville (11/18)
Made a tackle on special teams at Tennessee (12/2) 
Recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter at New England (12/10)
Registered one tackle vs. Indianapolis (12/16)
Had one tackle vs. Minnesota (12/23)
Notched four tackles (two solo) in the AFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Cincinnati (1/5/13)
Made his first career NFL start with four tackles in AFC Divisional Playoff at New England (1/13/13)

Keo registered a solid 3.6 coverage grade in '13 but struggled with a -6.5 score against the run. He also finished 2013 with just 12 stops (tackles causing an offensive failure) against 15 missed tackles. He's also shown flashes of being a quality role player coming off the bench, so hopefully the Bengals can find a role for him. In the end, Keo will be battling for a spot on the 53-man roster for next year with the likes of Shawn Williams and Taylor Mays, for a backup safety spot behind George Iloka and Reggie Nelson.