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Wide receiver and return specialist Brandon Tate signed his second one-year deal (in as many seasons) on Tuesday to stay with the Cincinnati Bengals. The one-year deal is worth 1.024 million with a $100,000 signing bonus. Tate will also receive a $144,000 roster bonus ($9,000 per game) and a $50,000 workout bonus.
Tate's 26.1 yard/return average on kickoff returns ranked sixth among players with 30 or more returns in the NFL. It was also the second-best average in a single season in franchise history -- Tremain Mack averaged 27.10 in '99. Tate is averaging 24.8 yards per kickoff return in his Bengals career, leading all franchise returners, including Lemar Parrish, who is second with a 24.66 yard/return average. Tate's career 9.87 yard/return average on punt returns ranks third in franchise history.
Cincinnati re-signed Tate to a one-year deal worth $715,000 with $251,000 in bonuses two weeks after free agency started last year. We figure that we should expect the same thing this year. Does that suggest Cincinnati won't hold a training camp competition as a return specialist? We expect them to.