Rey Maualuga Re-Signing in Cincinnati Is No-Brainer for Bengals

It seems like only yesterday when the question of whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals should hold on to free-agent middle linebacker Rey Maualuga was being asked. In fact, it was just two years ago, and the Bengals ultimately opted to give him a two-year, $6.5 million contract rather than face the loss of one of their most respected veteran defenders.

Now, Maualuga is staring down the barrel of free agency yet again, and the Bengals again have a decision to make: re-sign him to another deal or find someone else to hold down their important middle linebacker position.

Maualuga missed four games with a hamstring injury in 2014, limiting his total snaps to 452 on the season, according to Pro Football Focus. He also rotated with fellow linebacker Vincent Rey even when healthy, with Rey working more in pass coverage and Maualuga primarily tasked with stopping the run.

Even with his missed time, Pro Football Focus rated Maualuga the league's 27th-best inside linebacker (out of 60). He ranked 14th in run-stopping percentage, having recorded a tackle for loss against the run on 10.3 percent of his 214 run defense snaps. He tied for 34th as a pass-rusher, had 14 combined missed tackles and allowed one touchdown when working in coverage.

Year	Tackles	Sack	FF	FR	INT	PD	Stuff
2009	63	1.0	3	0	0	2	6
2010	75	1.0	0	0	2	2	3
2011	88	0.0	3	1	1	2	5
2012	122	1.0	0	1	0	4	1
2013	75	1.0	0	0	1	2	0
2014	59	0.0	0	0	1	4	6
Total	482	4.0	6	2	5	16	21

For the 2014 season, Maualuga totaled 59 combined tackles, had one interception, defensed four passes and stuffed six run plays. It wasn't his best season, but it was par for the course for a run-stopping specialist like Maulauga, whose importance to his team isn't reflected solely by his numbers.

It's hard to quantify the importance of a middle linebacker, especially one who was part of a rotational scheme. It would be easy to say Maualuga has been an underachiever in his time with Cincinnati. However, the intangibles that Maualuga brings to the Bengals defense are why it's unlikely they let him test the free-agency waters.

As Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson notes,

"

I think [Maualuga will] be back. They want him back. They covet his physicality and if there is one thing this team needs to do it is keep cultivating its physicality, so they need him. And I think it cuts both ways. He's extremely comfortable in this defense and with the guys around him and it would be a plus for him to be back.

"

John Grieshop/Getty Images

The Bengals pride themselves on continuity of personnel, particularly on defense, where there has been little turnover in recent years. The only significant change from 2013 to 2014 was the absence of pass-rushing defensive end Michael Johnson. In fact, Maualuga is the only vital member of the Bengals' front seven to be a free agent this year.

That commitment to continuity is why Maualuga was re-signed two years ago and why he should get a new deal this year. The Bengals certainly are not strapped for cash, with Spotrac projecting the Bengals to have $34.6 million in salary-cap space given a $142 million per-team cap for 2015.

Maualuga's 2013 deal, which gave him a $3.25 million per-year average salary and included $2.25 million in guaranteed money, seems like the perfect place to start when negotiating a new contract. At that value, the Bengals have no reason not to bring Maualuga back, and given Maualuga's specialized nature, it matches his contributions to the team.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Another vital reason for Maualuga returning to the Bengals for one more stint is the health status of weak-side linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Burfict, whose season was cut short with a long-lingering knee injury (among other ailments), underwent microfracture surgery at the end of January.

This is a complicated procedure, involving drilling into bones in the knee in hopes of regenerating cartilage that has been lost to repeated injury. Dr. Neal ElAttrache discussed Burfict's procedure with the NFL Network, via ESPN.com's Coley Harvey, and said he expects Burfict to be able to begin running after three months and that he should be able to participate fully in training camp in the summer.

Though Maualuga and Burfict play different positions, Burfict was initially brought on in Cincinnati to be Maualuga's successor. Now, Maualuga provides insurance at linebacker if Burfict's recovery is slower than expected. As Rey filled in for Maualuga during his hamstring injury, he also filled in for Burfict during his 11-game absence. 

Should Burfict not be ready for Week 1 and Maualuga is on another team's roster, the Bengals would find themselves severely lacking depth and experience at linebacker. Keeping Maualuga around gives the Bengals options—should injuries again strike their linebacker corps—without sacrificing continuity.

Maualuga might not be a multiyear Pro Bowler. He's not even the Bengals' best all-around defensive player. But that does not mean he has no value to his team. He's a vital member of the defense beyond just what he does on the field.

Maualuga's leadership, experience with the defense and the trust he has in and receives from his teammates are more than enough reasons for Maualuga to get another reasonable contract to remain with the Bengals.