Bengals want Taylor Mays and Cedric Peerman signed before April

The Cincinnati Bengals are applying the migraine-inducing approach of patience for backup players Taylor Mays and Cedric Peerman, writes the mothership. Yes. The Bengals want Mays and Peerman to return for a minimum deal but they want both players in the fold by the end of this month.

It's believed the Bengals would prefer to finish out the month before the draft re-signing niche players like special teams co-captain Cedric Peerman and nickel linebacker Taylor Mays.

It's already been written that Cincinnati wants both players, but only for a minimum deal -- we're talking about special teams players with little value as backups at their respective positions.

Peerman isn't going to surpass Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard and we're fairly certain that the team would prefer more Rex Burkhead moving forward (at least in terms of the rarely-used third-string running backup role). Mays had a momentary niche as a linebacker/safety hybrid when Emmanuel Lamur suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the preseason finale in 2013 -- and that was before Mays suffered his own season-ending injury midway through the season.

So again... we're talking about special teams players -- though that shouldn't downplay their contributions. Peerman led the Bengals with 15 special teams tackles in 2014 and ranked fourth in 2013. Mays ranked fourth in special teams tackles in 2014 and added a blocked punt that led to a safety against Jacksonville.

Mays has generated some interest in free agency this month, mostly among teams (Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins) who have a head coaching connection with Cincinnati.