The Atlanta Falcons have signed cornerback Darqueze Dennard of Dry Branch, Georgia from the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday according to Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports. The terms of the deal have not yet been announced.
Dennard had an injury-riddled season in 2019. He only played nine of the 16 regular season games because of injuries to his knee and hamstring. Dennard almost had an agreement in place earlier in the offseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the contract fell through.
While on the field in 2019, Dennard had five pass deflections, 37 combined tackles (25 solo tackles and 12 assisted tackles), one tackle for a loss, and two quarterback hits. It was a tough season overall for the Bengals in 2019, as the team only won two of the nine games Dennard played last season, and Cincinnati had a record of two wins and 14 losses overall.
In 77 NFL games to date, Dennard has three interceptions for 119 yards, one touchdown, 22 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three sacks, 274 combined tackles (200 solo tackles and 74 assisted tackles), five tackles for a loss and five quarterback hits. Dennard’s lone touchdown came in a 31-27 Bengals win over the Baltimore Ravens on December 31, 2017. He picked off a Joe Flacco pass and had an 89-yard interception return into the end zone. Then the following season, Dennard had the only fumble recovery in his career in a 30-16 Bengals win over the Oakland Raiders on December 16, 2018.
As a college football player, Dennard was a star at Michigan State. In 2013, he won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the top defensive back in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Then in 2014, Dennard was the Bengals’ first round draft pick, 24th overall, in the NFL Draft.
