Former CFL all-star defensive back Winston Rose signs futures contract with Cincinnati Bengals

Photo courtesy: Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have signed former CFL defensive back Winston Rose to a futures contract.

That gives Rose another shot to make the roster in 2021.

Rose decided between competing offers last off-season — the other from the Philadelphia Eagles — but he chose the Bengals. He played two games for Cincinnati during the 2020 season, earning over $250,000 USD for the year.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo: “Don’t sleep on Winston Rose”

The 27-year-old recorded a league-high nine picks in 2019 en route to being named a CFL all-star. He notched 58 tackles and a touchdown in 18 starts, helping lock down the boundary side of Winnipeg’s secondary.

The Bombers won the Grey Cup for the first time in 29 years, beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12. Rose intercepted Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback Cody Fajardo in the West Final and made 15 tackles during Winnipeg’s post-season run to a CFL title.

Four CFL teams have employed Rose over the course of his career. After spending brief periods with Toronto and Ottawa in 2017, the New Mexico State University product played all 18 games for B.C. in 2018, making 32 tackles and five interceptions.

After going unselected in the 2016 NFL draft, Rose signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He was released shortly after and inked a pact with the Indianapolis Colts. He played in three pre-season games with the Colts, making one tackle and defending one pass, but was released among final cuts.

Rose has impressed the Bengals coaching staff enough to be brought back.