Bengals: Five soon-to-be free agents likely to walk this offseason

Bengals free agents likely to walk: LB Jordan Evans

Jordan Evans was one last-minute trade away from his career with the Bengals being over. Right before roster cuts this year, the front office shipped linebacker Austin Calitro to the Denver Broncos in return for defensive tackle Christian Covington, a move that secured Evans a spot.

The former Oklahoma Sooner has had a rollercoaster tenure in Cincinnati. He was drafted during the Marvin Lewis era and saw significant playing time early and often. However, once Zac Taylor’s regime took over, Evans was clearly on the outside looking in.

Young linebackers Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither have soaked up the majority of the snaps not taken by Josh Bynes and Germaine Pratt. That essentially leaves Evans in a special teams only role.

The franchise values special teams players but they’ve got another rookie, Markus Bailey, waiting in the wings for Evans’ role. With all of the new blood in the linebacker room, it’s difficult to imagine the club bringing him back, although it’s not entirely out of the question.

In all likelihood, Evans can find a slightly larger role with another team, especially if a particular franchise gets hit hard by injury. As a solid player in the third phase who has also had some clutch moments on defense, he shouldn’t have trouble finding a new home.