Cincinnati Bengals Release Backup Offensive Lineman, Shining Glaring Light on Depth Need

The backup center spot got even thinner behind Ted Karras this week.

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Cincinnati announced on Tuesday that the team is releasing center Matt Lee. The third-year player got picked by the Bengals in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

He played in 22 games with one start for Cincinnati. The only other center behind Karras on the roster now is Jacob Beyer, who was on the team's practice squad to end last season.

Depth Need

Cincinnati Bengals center Nate Gilliam (66) hits Cincinnati Bengals center Matt Lee (62) at Cincinnati Bengals training camp on the Kettering Health Practice Fields in Cincinnati on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

That depth spot is a major need after cutting Lee and the Giants signing Lucas Patrick on Monday. Cincinnati could definitely address it with another developmental pick like Lee in the later rounds this month. They have multiple sixth-round picks in this cycle.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin is hunting for the next great Bengals with a very valuable batch of draft assets.

Finding someone who could eventually lead the line like Karras has would be ideal.

“To be a leader, though, you gotta have skins on the wall and you gotta play effectively," Tobin said about prospect leadership traits in February. "And the rest of your teammates have to know that you are producing at a high level. It's hard to lead when you're not out on the field or when you're not producing well. So the first trait of a good leader is production, which is actually producing in a way that everyone respects and wants to mimic. So you have to have that. And then you have to have the outward charisma. And you've also gotta be willing to have tough conversations with people.

"And so finding leaders sounds easy, but there are a lot of components that go into that. And there are a lot of different leadership styles that can work. And I think we've got some inside of our own building that'll continue to evolve and grow in those roles. And then if we can find some ready-made guys who have the skins on the wall that come in and help us in those areas, that'll be good.”

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