Bengals sign former Carolina CB Apple to one-year contract

Updated Mar. 23, 2021 4:59 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday signed free agent cornerback Eli Apple to a one-year contract.

Apple, a former Ohio State star, was a first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2016 and went to the New Orleans Saints via trade in 2018.

He played for the Carolina Panthers on a one-year contract last season but injuries limited him to two games. He has played in 57 career NFL games, with 219 tackles and three interceptions.

Apple will be reunited in the Bengals secondary with former Buckeyes teammate Vonn Bell, who is a starting safety.

Also Tuesday, the Bengals re-signed offensive lineman Quinton Spain, who thanked the team in a tweet “for giving me another chance to get my name out there.”

Spain was released by the Buffalo Bills in midseason last year before the Bengals signed him. He started the last eight games, five of them at right guard.

On Monday, the Bengals re-signed punter Kevin Huber to one-year contract.

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Apple (6-1, 203), a sixth-year player out of Ohio State, originally was a first-round draft pick (10th overall) of the N.Y. Giants in 2016. He has played in 57 career games for the Giants, Saints and Panthers, and has 219 tackles, 33 PDs, three INTs, three FFs and five FRs.

The Bengals today signed free agent CB Eli Apple to a one-year contract for 2021.