Lost in the hoopla surrounding the the Bengals' free agent quest for a receiver was the team reaching an agreement to brink back defensive tackle Tank Johnson. An injury caused him to start slowly in his first year in Cincinnati, but he really came on down the stretch. This move is a big one for the team and helps their defense big time.

Here's the official release...

The Bengals today re-signed DT Tank Johnson, who played 14 games with 13 starts last season, aiding Cincinnati's drive to the AFC North Division championship.

Johnson (6-3, 305; University of Washington) is a seventh-year NFL player in 2010. He played his first Bengals season in 2009, signing as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas, and he logged 39 tackles with two sacks. His one-year Cincinnati contract had expired, and he was again an unrestricted free agent prior to today's signing.

"Signing Tank now is a positive step for both him and the defensive team," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. "He was a very consistent performer last season and was a big part of our improved run defense. He is a tough-minded man who is a great pro during the week and brings a great competitive attitude to the field on Sunday."

NFL cincinnati bengals, tank johnson, 2010 nfl offseason