Stephen Franklin agrees to free agent contract with Bengals
07/26/2011 | 12:00:00 | Football
July 26, 2011
By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Former Southern Illinois University linebacker Stephen Franklin agreed to a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday.
Franklin agreed to the standard rookie free agent contract a little after 12 p.m. CT. He travels to Cincinnati for a physical with team doctors on Wednesday and then heads down with the team to Georgetown, Ky. for its training camp that opens on Thursday, July 28, at Georgetown College.
"I'm glad somebody gave me a chance," Franklin said. "My agent gave me a call and then I talked to coach [Jeff] Fitzgerald, their linebackers coach, and he told me they are bringing me and that they are excited to have me."
The opening of the signing period for undrafted free agents began at 9 a.m. CT Tuesday and with a laugh Franklin said, "it's about time."
"I've been waiting for a while just doing everything in my power that I could do," he said. "I just kept the faith that something would work out. I guess I'm still considered a long shot, but they are giving me a chance and I hope to make the most of the opportunity."
Franklin was a second team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection as a senior in 2010 for the Salukis. He led the team with 76 tackles while starting all 11 games at inside linebacker. Franklin had 5.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and one interception on the year.
He arrived at SIU in 2007 out of North Kansas City High School and played in all 50 games for the Salukis since his true freshman season. Franklin finished his career with 174 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception.
Franklin will be reunited with former Saluki teammate Korey Lindsey, who was a seventh round draft pick of the Bengals in last April's NFL Draft.