Bengals Wide Receiver Dane Sanzenbacher Signs His RFA Tender

The Bengals kept to the script of keeping their own valued guys this week with the re-signing of veteran wide receiver, Dane Sanzenbacher. He, along with linebacker Vincent Rey and Andrew Hawkins were given restricted free agent tenders at the lowest level. Hawkins was signed to an offer sheet and joined the Cleveland Browns, whereas Rey and Sanzenbacher stayed in Cincinnati.

He finally made it official on Tuesday by putting ink to paper and signing the RFA tender deal.

#Bengals re-sign Dane Sanzenbacher who previously was a restricted free agent.

— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) April 8, 2014

#Bengals had tendered Sanzenbacher to the low-round amount ($1.4 million) just before free agency started last month.

— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) April 8, 2014

Sanzenbacher is a local product from Ohio State University and joined the Chicago Bears in 2011 as an undrafted free agent. He had a tumultuous Christmas in 2012, as the Bears released him on Christmas Eve and the Bengals signed him on Christmas Day. Sanzenbacher was one of the fan favorites in the preseason, especially when he was chronicled in "Hard Knocks". He finished 2013 with six catches for 61 yards and three first downs in ten games played.

Ironically, Sanzenbacher could be the Bengals' answer to some of the things that Hawkins did in the slot and on special teams. Given the contract, expectations could be there for Sanzenbacher to contribute at a much higher level in 2014.