George Iloka has found a new team. The former Cincinnati Bengal and Minnesota Viking has signed with the Dallas Cowboys. It is a one-year deal worth just over a million dollars. Mike Garafolo broke the details:
#Cowboys are signing S George Iloka, source says.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 24, 2019
Iloka spent his first five seasons with the Bengals after being drafted by them in the first round. After being released by the Bengals to free up cap space, Iloka signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Now the veteran gets a fresh start and a chance to show he still has some good years ahead of him in the NFL.
George Iloka Signs with the Dallas Cowboys
Last year was a disappointing season for Iloka. He was a surprise cut in early August, leaving him scrambling to find a spot on a team without much time before the regular season started. He ended up signing with the Vikings, which was somewhat surprising, considering they already had a great tandem with Harrison Smith at free safety and Andrew Sendejo at strong safety.
Iloka was relegated to backup work most of the year. He played only seven snaps in the first five weeks of the season but got the start for three games filling in for Sendejo during a groin injury. He finished the season with just 14 tackles and a forced fumble.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, Iloka took over the starting strong safety job in his sophomore season. He outplayed his draft position, earning himself a five-year, $30 million deal back in 2016. This made it seem like Iloka was going to be part of their plans for a long time. Instead, the team cut him, only two years into his deal.
Now, on his third team in three years, Iloka will look to find some stability. He is still just one year removed from being an above average safety and could prove to be a discount if returns to form.
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