Cincinnati Bengals
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A former Bengals player joined the New York Giants
The NFL’s free agency period has quieted down,but that does not mean the Cincinnati Bengals have not been active. Recently, the team’s depth took a toll asCincinnati announced they had waived former seventh-round pick center Matt Lee, who was the primary backup to Ted Karras.
Last season, Cincinnati signed two veteran interior offensive linemen with starting experience. Dalton Risner turned out to be a solid piece for Cincinnati, and even earned a new contract with a considerable pay raise ahead of the 2026 season. Meanwhile, Lucas Patrick, who signed a contract worth more than Risner’s, ended up appearing in only six games.
Now, Patrick has departed Cincinnati, as he signed a contract with the New York Giants.
Former Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Lineman Joins Giants
Patrick, who has 113 games of NFL experience, will join the New York Giants in the 2026 season after his brief stint with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Regarding the move, Bengals on SI writer Russell Heltman wrote:
“Patrick started one game last season early in the campaign while the organization was working through its guard hierarchy. He appeared in six games with one start for the Bengals last season after injuring his calf in Week 1 and ultimately getting his spot taken over by newly re-signed guard Dalton Risner.”
With Cincinnati, Patrick signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract in free agency after a season in which he started 10 games for the New Orleans Saints. With the Saints, he ranked 37th out of 77 qualified guards,according to Pro Football Focus. Unfortunately that did not translate in Cincinnati as he played only 23 offensive snaps last season.
Patrick is now set to join his fifth NFL team. Throughout his career, he has totaled over $17 million in career earnings after originally being signed as an undrafted free agent,according to Spotrac.
Bengals Offensive Line
Following the departure of Lucas Patrick and the release of Matt Lee, depth on the offensive line is likely something Cincinnati needs to address before the season. Heltman added, “A depth addition at any spot along the offensive line seems plausible in a few weeks. Getting someone to develop at center and play along the other two guard spots could be a good idea as Ted Karras (33 years old) continues to work through his 30s.”
One option that Cincinnati could target to boost the interior of the offensive line is draft prospect Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State. Ioane is NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah top-ranked interior offensive line prospect in this upcoming draft class.Jeremiah wrote:
“Ioane was a dominant presence at left guard for the Nittany Lions. He has a thick, proportioned build and plays with outstanding strength/power. In the passing game, he can bend his knees, redirect and stay attached to defenders. He will occasionally take a loss against speed, but he handles power with ease. He is aware on stunts and games. In the run game, he latches on, runs his feet and always looks to finish. He had an epic battle against Oregon DL A’Mauri Washington in Penn State’s double-overtime loss to the Ducks last season. Ioane has tremendous upper torque to toss defenders out of the hole. He takes proper angles to the second level and can adjust in space. Overall, I love Ioane’s temperament, toughness and ability to anchor. He’ll be an impact starter from Day 1.”