The Enquirer/Jim Owczarski
The summer of 2014 seems like a lifetime ago.
Vontaze Burfict was coming off a Pro Bowl campaign in 2013, recording a league-high 171 total tackles and three sacks while breaking up six passes and intercepting another. He forced a fumble and recovered two others.
In two seasons, he had gone from an undrafted free agent with question marks to become one of the most complete linebackers in the NFL. In 32 games his first two years he had 198 total tackles, four sacks and eight passes defensed.
The Bengals rewarded that with an extension, adding three years to what was left on his undrafted free agent rookie deal and giving him a raise for 2014 with what amounted to a $20 million contract in total.