Bengals Acquire Former Falcons Defensive End Takk McKinley
CINCINNATI — The Bengals acquired defensive end Takkarist McKinley on waivers from the Falcons. Atlanta made the decision to release him on Monday.
The 25-year-old has only appeared in four games this season. He has eight tackles (one for loss) and seven quarterback hits.
The Falcons selected McKinley in the first-round (26th) overall of the 2017 NFL Draft.
He appeared in 49 regular season contests for Atlanta, making 25 starts. He has 79 career tackles (22 for loss) 17.5 sacks and 45 quarterback hits.
McKinley was reportedly on the trade block, but the Falcons didn't deal him at the deadline. He publicly criticized the organization on social media and admitted that he requested a trade.
Atlanta didn't pick up McKinley's fifth-year option in the spring, which means he is going to be a free agent after the season.
This move makes sense for a few reasons. The Bengals were in need of a defensive end after they traded Carlos Dunlap to the Seahawks. McKinley can help fill the void that he left behind.
This is also a chance for the Bengals to add a talented player to a defense that has struggled for most of the season.
McKinley is a former first-round pick that had 13 sacks and 42 tackles in his first two NFL seasons.
Things have gone downhill since, but this is a chance for him to rejuvenate his career. The Bengals desperately need someone not named Carl Lawson to get after the quarterback.
This also gives the team a chance to add a draft pick for next to nothing. If McKinley plays decent down the stretch and signs elsewhere in free agency, then the Bengals could receive a compensatory selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Browns, Raiders and 49ers also put in a waiver claim in hopes of landing McKinley according to Ian Rapoport.
This is a low-risk, medium reward type of move for Cincinnati.
They will owe McKinley $875,000 for the remainder of the season. That money isn't guaranteed, which means they could cut him if he's unproductive or becomes a distraction like he did in Atlanta.
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