Cornerback Tony Brown has signed a contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2020 season, the NFL team announced on Thursday.

The former Alabama defensive back was an exclusive-rights free agent who would have become an unrestricted free agent at 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday if the Bengals had not offer him a contract.

Exclusive-rights free agents are those with fewer than three seasons as an active NFL player and an expiring contract. Teams can retain exclusive-rights free agents by offering a one-year contract at the league minimum. Exclusive-rights free agents offered contracts cannot negotiate with other teams.

Cincinnati claimed Brown off waivers on Dec. 30 after the Green Bay Packers released him the day before their final regular-season game.

Brown played in nine games for Green Bay in 2019, but he did not play after Nov. 24. Brown also missed two games in October with a hamstring injury, and he appeared on the Packers' injury report with a heel problem for the first three weeks of December.

Brown was on the field for 47 defensive snaps and 136 special-teams plays in 2019 after having 287 defensive snaps and 178 special-teams plays in 11 games with Green Bay in 2018.

Brown played on two CFP national championship teams at Alabama, and he had an interception in his final game with the Crimson Tide -- a 26-23 overtime victory against Georgia in the national title game for the 2017 season.

Brown went to training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018 as an undrafted rookie. After the Chargers released Brown, he landed on the Packers' practice squad before being elevated to Green Bay's active roster in the fourth week of the season.

Brown had 34 tackles, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a tackle for loss for Green Bay in 2018. In 2019, he had 10 tackles.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.

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