CINCINNATI -- For about an hour early Wednesday morning, Cincinnati Bengals fans were an angry bunch on social media, and it was easy to understand why.
Reports, including one from ESPN's Dianna Russini, had surfaced indicating receiver Marvin Jones was heading to Detroit for a deal that would pay him $8 million a year. Deemed the prized jewel of the Bengals' 12-man unrestricted free agency class, the Bengals had made their interest in re-signing him known. At the Super Bowl, Jones informed anyone who would listen that he wanted to come back to Cincinnati, but that he wanted as large a deal as he could sign, seeing as how the 25-year-old (he turns 26 Saturday) feels he's in his prime earning window.
Upon hearing the news Jones was leaving, Bengals fans pleaded to me on Twitter to check in on the Bengals' front office to see if its contract handlers had woken up. Those fans believed the big free-agency deals were passing their team by once again.
That was right when ESPN's Adam Schefter and others dropped the bombshell: George Iloka would be re-signing with the Bengals. They might have missed out on Jones, but they would end up keeping one of their own after all. According to Schefter, Iloka agreed to a five-year, $30 million deal that would pay him $18 million in the first three seasons.
As is the case with all contracts that were reported Wednesday morning, nothing will be official with the league office until after 4 p.m. ET, when the new league year begins.
The timing of the news on Jones was perfect for Iloka, who became the Bengals' new priority.
With the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders among the teams courting Iloka, the Bengals had to re-sign one of the more promising members of their aging secondary. Soon to turn 26 himself (Iloka's birthday is March 31), Iloka is in his own prime earning window. This new deal will make him the 11th-highest paid safety in the league. Iloka will gladly take that title after making just $1.54 million as a fourth-year player in 2015.
In an injury-affected 12-game season, Iloka had 47 tackles and an interception. After his three-pick 2014 campaign, Iloka became valued league-wide for his cover skills in the deep passing game.
By re-signing Iloka, the Bengals placed a heavy emphasis on their secondary. They not only get back one of their defenders, but they also keep him away from former Bengals assistant Mike Zimmer. Now the head coach in Minnesota, Zimmer has been reported to have interest in multiple Bengals free agents, specifically the defensive players he once coached and helped draft, like Iloka.
Safety Reggie Nelson might still be one of the Vikings' targets. Iloka's deal appeared to signal the Bengals' willingness to move on from Nelson, the veteran Pro Bowl safety who tied for the league lead in interceptions last season with eight. Per contract and salary-cap analytics website Spotrac.com, the 32-year-old Nelson entered this offseason with a market value of about $4.8 million per year.
If Nelson signs with Minnesota or someone else, the Bengals feel confident in fourth-year player Shawn Williams' ability to slide into his old spot.