The Bengals today signed unrestricted free agent DT Sheldon Rankins to a two-year contract through the 2025 season.
Rankins (6-2, 305), a ninth-year player out of the University of Louisville, originally was a first-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2016. He spent five seasons (2016-20) with the Saints and two ('21-22) with the N.Y. Jets, before spending the '23 season with the Houston Texans. He has played in 109 regular-season games (66 starts) and has 228 tackles, 29.5 sacks, five FFs, three FRs, three PDs and one INT.
View the best photos of DT Sheldon Rankins during his NFL tenure.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) is sacked by New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins (98) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec.12, 2021 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Saints defeated the Jets 30-9. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) defends during an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Cleveland Browns, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Browns, 45-14. (Ryan Kang via AP)
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) sacks Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) during an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in New Orleans. The Saints beat the Bears 21-9. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) tackles Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday Jan. 6, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) lines up on the line of scrimmage during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Houston. The Browns won 36-22. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Houston. The Browns defeated the Texans 36-22. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Houston. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 24-21. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Saints 20-13. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) runs onto the field prior to a football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Houston. The Colts defeated the Texans 31-20. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Indianapolis Colts guard Mark Glowinski (64) battles for position on the field against New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) during an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, in Indianapolis. The Colts won 45-30. (Aaron Doster via AP)
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) celebrates after sacking Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith (11) during a week 5 NFL football game on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 in New Orleans. New Orleans won 43-19. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins (98) celebrates with teammate Shaq Lawson (50) during the NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Patriots defeated the Jets 25-6. (Kathryn Riley via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) lines up before the snap during the NFL game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Jets defeated the Texans 30-6. (Kathryn Riley via AP)
New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98,) inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (57), and free safety Marcus Maye (20) celebrate a touchdown in an NFL game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers defeated the Jets 19-14. (Margaret Bowles via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) celebrates during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Titans 26-3. (Cooper Neill via AP)
New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) gets set against the Jacksonville Jaguars during an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Jaguars defeated the Jets, 19-3. (Cooper Neill via AP)
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