Darqueze Dennard's Contract Option Picked Up by Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have exercised the fifth-year option on cornerback Darqueze Dennard, the team announced Friday.

The 2014 first-round pick recently completed his third year in the NFL, but the latest contract decision will keep him with the Bengals through the 2018 season. 

Dennard has struggled to make much of an impact in his time in Cincinnati. While he appeared in 15 games last season, he only started three of them. In 39 career games over the past three seasons, only four were starts.

This time on the field has led to only one interception and three passes defended.

Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer broke down the team's thinking:

Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick remain the starters with Josh Shaw also earning significant playing time in 2016. William Jackson III should make an impact as well after the first-round pick missed his entire rookie season with a pectoral injury.

Even with playing time likely difficult to find, Dennard will apparently get more chances to prove his worth over the next two years as he tries to justify the team picking up his option.