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Former Texas offensive lineman Kent Perkins has signed a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Perkins notified Horns247 of his signing on Saturday evening via text message.

A 34-game starter for the Longhorns who was a second-team All-Big 12 pick by the league’s coaches as a senior in 2016, Perkins will be reunited in Cincinnati with former Texas teammate Trey Hopkins. Hopkins has been with the Bengals since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

Perkins was a valuable piece for a Texas offensive line that paved the way for a 2,028-yard 2016 season by D’Onta Foreman. Foreman was a consensus first-team All-American with Perkins, a 10-game starter at right guard, helping pave the way; Foreman’s 184.4 yards per game led the FBS and Texas finished 17th in rushing offense (239.3 yards per game) for the second consecutive season.

A former U.S. Army All-American, Perkins played both right guard and tackle during his career with the Longhorns. An exceptionally strong player, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Perkins completed 35 bench press reps during his workout, which would’ve tied him for the highest total at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.

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