Safety Vonn Bell Returns to Bengals

The veteran safety is returning to his former home.

He's heading home. 

Vonn Bell spent three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before a one-year fling with the Carolina Panthers. After releasing Bell earlier this week, the veteran safety became a free agent again, able to sign with any team he desires. 

Report: Panthers Moving on From Safety Vonn Bell

He chose a place he's familiar with.

Bell inked a one year, $6 million fully guaranteed deal to return to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday morning. That money is being paid by the Carolina Panthers due to contractual terms agreed upon his signing and release from the Panthers. 

The Bengals had the worst explosive play rate allowed in the NFL last season. 12.1% of plays against Cincinnati ended up as an explosive. The veteran safety Bell should shore up the back-end of a defense that has championship aspirations.

Bell tallied 69 tackles and an interception in one season in Carolina. Last offseason, Vonn Bell signed a 3 year, $22 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. He didn't come close to living up to that contract on the field, but his veteran presence on a youthful Carolina defense was invaluable.

Bell's release was one of the first pieces to fall in a week that feels like a Jenga tower tumbling through the Queen City, and his subsequent signing with the NFL team in the other Queen City is the best possible outcome for the former Carolina Panther.

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