The Cincinnati Bengals did not wait very long to fill the void left when T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seahawks Tuesday.
The Bengals agreed to terms with free agent wide receiver Laveranues Coles on Wednesday.
Preliminary reports indicate the contract is a four-year deal worth $28 million.
The 31-year-old Coles caught 70 passes for 850 yards and 7 touchdowns last season for the New York Jets.
In his nine year career, Coles has 631 catches for 8,095 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Coles was named to the Pro Bowl in 2003 when he was with the Washington Redskins.
“Clearly, Laveranues gives our passing game another proven weapon,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis.
“The Bengals were very aggressive right from the start in talking to us,” Coles said.
Earlier in the day the Bengals held a press conference to announce the resigning of running back Cedric Benson.
Benson's former teammate in Chicago, quarterback Rex Grossman, is scheduled to visit the Bengals on Thursday to discuss the team's backup quarterback duties.
Coles will be introduced as the newest member of the Bengals during a press conference Thursday morning.
Release from the Bengals:
The Bengals today signed free agent WR Laveranues Coles, who started 16 games for the N.Y. Jets last season and caught 70 passes for 850 yards while leading the team in touchdown receptions (seven).
Coles (5-11, 193; Florida State) is a 10th-year NFL player in 2009. His first name is pronounced “luh-VER-nee-us.” A Pro Bowl selection for the 2003 season with Washington, he has played in 137 career games with 122 starts, seeing action for the Jets (2000-02 and 2005-07) and Redskins (2003-04). He also has played and started four postseason games.
He has 631 career receptions for 8095 yards (12.8 avg.) and 44 touchdowns. He has played and started 16 games in seven of his nine previous seasons, and through Game 8 of 2007, he had a streak of 104 consecutive starts that was the longest at that time by an active NFL wide receiver. He has 20 career games of 100 or more receiving yards, and he holds the NFL record for most consecutive games with five or more catches, having posted 19 straight over 2002-03.
“Clearly, Laveranues gives our passing game another proven weapon,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “He’s been durable and reliable, with high production in catches, yards, yards-per-catch and touchdowns. He’s also a passionate player, a guy who will bring a very positive chemistry to our locker room.”
Coles is the fourth veteran signed by the Bengals during this year’s free agency signing period. Previously, Cincinnati re-signed three of the club’s own unrestricted free agents -- HB Cedric Benson, LB Darryl Blackstock and S Chris Crocker.
“The Bengals were very aggressive right from the start in talking to us,” Coles said, “and when a team makes you feel really wanted, that’s a factor you’re not going to ignore. They said, ‘Let’s get this worked out,’ and we did. I’m excited. I’m coming off a pretty good year, but I know I can do better. Anytime you come into a situation with a quarterback like Carson Palmer, you’re going to think you can bump up those numbers a little more.”
Playing for the Jets against the Bengals on Oct. 12 of last season at the Meadowlands, Coles tied for the game-high in receptions (eight), gaining 61 yards. In 2007 against Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium, Coles led all receivers in catches (eight), yards (133) and touchdowns (two).
