CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Bengals addressed one of
their top priorities on Monday, signing hard-hitting safety
Dexter Jackson to a four-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com reported the
deal was worth $7.6 million.
Known for his physical play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
something Cincinnati's secondary lacked last season, Jackson was
named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXVIII after the
2002 season, intercepting two passes a 48-21 win over the
Oakland Raiders.
He signed with Arizona as an unrestricted free agent in 2003 and
returned to Tampa in November 2004 after being released by the
Cardinals following a stint on their reserve list.
Last season, Jackson played in 11 games, missing five contests
with a hamstring injury. He had 54 tackles with one
interception, five passes defensed and one sack.
"Dexter has proven himself at a high level in the NFL," Bengals
coach Marvin Lewis said. "He has played and excelled in big
games, and at Tampa Bay, he has been a part of a defense that
has been a very fine unit for a number of years. We're excited
to add him to our roster."
In his seven-year career, Jackson has 379 tackles and 14
interceptions in 88 games, including 58 starts.