Bengals avoid Gerald McCoy in AFC North as star DT chooses Panthers

Gerald McCoy, by far the biggest name left in free agency, has decided to join the Carolina Panthers, according to Adam Schefter at ESPN.

McCoy stays in the NFC South and at the same time shuns the AFC North, where he visited with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. The Cincinnati Bengals also had a rumored interest because coaches apparently wanted to pair him with Geno Atkins.

But the idea has fizzled out, with McCoy explaining why he made his choice, per David Newton at ESPN:

‘’Carolina was a great fit for me. Being around the guys we just meshed & I love the instant chemistry we had. They have a tradition of having a great defense. I love the players & I believe in #1. Ron Rivera is a proven coach & can’t wait to get started.”

A league source told the Observer that a group of core players – including captains and others – took McCoy out to lunch on Friday when he was in town. That was a huge point of persuasion, because McCoy could see the team chemistry in action.

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) June 3, 2019

The good news from a Bengals perspective? They won’t have to worry about a rebuilding offensive line dealing with McCoy twice a year — those Ravens and Browns defenses are talented enough as it is.

And while it would have been fun to see a McCoy-Atkins pairing, the supposed interest at least hints at the idea the Bengals are thinking more outside the box than usual.