The Cincinnati Bengals have officially re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga to a three-year deal.
Maualuga was drafted in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, but experienced an up-and-down career over his first four years in the league.
However, the Bengals believed that he played a vital role last season as the team admitted to missing him when he was out of the lineup for four games.
Having secured the 28-year-old's future, Cincinnati are expected to turn their attention to other free agents on the roster including Clint Boling and cornerback Terence Newman.
Maualuga was seen as an important part of a linebacker group including the likes of Vontaze Burfict and Emmanuel Lamur, with his ability to stop the run standing out last year.
