3. Riley Reiff
Most fans were excited when the Bengals signed Riley Reiff last offseason because he was going to be an improvement to their offensive line. Reiff did provide an improvement at right tackle, a position that was brand new to him, but he had some bad games and by the end of the season, he wasn’t even healthy enough to play.
While Reiff provided an above-average option at right tackle, the injuries made it too risky to re-sign him for the 2022 season, even as a backup. The team signed La’el Collins to play right tackle and while Reiff could have fit the bill as a reserve, the injuries took that out of the equation.
Cincinnati was right not to bring Riley Reiff back.
2. Trey Hopkins
Sticking with the offensive line, the Bengals saved roughly $6 million by cutting Trey Hopkins, who had been their starting center for the past four years. He was a nice story, going undrafted out of Texas and then sliding into a starting role on the offensive line.
In 2020, Hopkins played well, but an injury in the final game of the season proved critical. He was able to return in time to start in Week 1 this past year but his play was clearly not the same and it showed. By the end of the season, his struggles weren’t as glaring, but it was still time for both sides to part ways.
Hopkins is still waiting to be signed so maybe there’s a chance he’s brought back but right now, moving on from him is a smart move.