The Bengals announced Thursday that the team has extended tender offers to six players, making them restricted free agents as of March 5, when the NFL league year begins.

The Bengals tendered LB Brandon Johnson at the second-round level, while LB Abdul Hodge, LB Rashad Jeanty, CB David Jones, G Evan Mathis and DE Frostee Rucker were tendered at their original-round levels.

The deadline for a restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet from another team is April 15. Any RFA who has not signed an offer sheet by that date will have his 2010 NFL rights revert exclusively to his 2009 club.

The Bengals also made exclusive rights offers to five third-year players: C Kyle Cook, S Kyries Hebert, G Nate Livings, QB Jordan Palmer and OT Dennis Roland. Those players are not eligible for free agency.

The team chose not to extend offers to TE Daniel Coats, TE J.P. Foschi and DT Shaun Smith.

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