The Cincinnati Bengals lost arguably their best offensive lineman this week when Clint Boling went to Paul Brown Stadium and signed his retirement papers due to medical concerns.
With Boling gone, 109 starts of experience and perhaps the team’s most underappreciated player (remember the quality stint at left tackle?) walks out the door and leaves a void.
Here are a few of the angles to consider the wake of the announcement.
Replacement Candidates:
- Christian Westerman
- John Jerry
- Michael Jordan
- Trey Hopkins
Westerman might finally get his chance to shine, this time in a contract year. He’s been a fan favorite, but also oddly passed over by two line coaches so far. Jerry arrived recently because the Boling news was in the works. Jordan is a rookie the Bengals traded up to get and the team has already mentioned as in the mix. Hopkins is a guy fans should never forget, not after successful stints at guard and center in the past.
Cap Ramifications
Unfortunately, in a situation like this, money has to be part of the conversation. Boling was in a contract year when he retired. The Bengals will eat $500,000 in dead money with the move but should outright save about $5.25 million. Obviously, the Bengals never want to lose a player like Boling, but the little bit of cash saved with the move might make the front office’s time easier when trying to ink A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and others to extensions this offseason.
