The Cincinnati Bengals lost DJ Reader to the Detroit Lions in free agency, and that turned out to be a far more brutal blow than fans expected as the team’s defensive interior this season has done little to stop opponents.
At least some of that can be traced back to Sheldon Rankins, who was meant to fill the gap left by Reader’s absence.
The Bengals brought in Rankins on a two-year, $24.5 million deal. Cincinnati could save almost eight figures if they parted ways with the 30-year-old defensive tackle.
That’s what Bleacher Report explained when discussing players that could be cut in the offseason, but the sad part is that he was only highlighting players on the “NFL’s most disappointing teams,” a category the Bengals fit in this season.
“The Bengals let D.J. Reader leave in free agency and then signed Sheldon Rankins to a two-year, $24.5 million contract. That has turned out to be a major source of disappointment. The 30-year-old simply doesn’t hold up at the point of attack the same way Reader did, and it’s having a ripple effect on their defensive line,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine wrote.
The 6-foot-2 Rankins, who came from the Houston Texans this past offseason, has played in just seven games this season and has totaled 18 tackles, one sack and one tackle for a loss as well.
That’s a ghost of what he did a season ago, having nine tackles for a loss and six tackles in his lone season in Houston. The Bengals needed more from Rankins, and he hasn’t delivered.
Don’t be shocked if they part ways with him in the coming months.
