The Bengals used their high waiver priority to bring in a former first-round defensive lineman. Recently cut Falcons edge rusher Takk McKinley will head to Cincinnati after the Bengals claimed him Wednesday.
McKinley will join a Bengals team that has been without defensive ends Sam Hubbard and Carlos Dunlap; the former is on IR and the latter is now a Seahawk. With the Falcons not exercising the 2017 first-rounder’s fifth-year option, McKinley’s rookie contract expires after the 2020 season.
The Falcons dropped McKinley after not finding a taker for him in a trade. The team fined the defensive end for comments he made regarding his trade status. McKinley has 17.5 career sacks; just one of those has come during the 2020 season. The UCLA product registered 13 sacks over his first two seasons but has just 4.5 since the 2019 campaign.
Atlanta sought a fourth-round pick for McKinley but held onto him at the deadline, despite McKinley tweeting the team received offers involving fifth- and/or sixth-round picks. The Falcons tried to unload Vic Beasley in similar fashion ahead of last year’s trade deadline but retained him, and Beasley produced down the stretch. The team has now dismantled its longtime pass-rushing duo, and McKinley will have a shot to rebound ahead of a possible free agency run in 2021.
Just one Bengal — fourth-year defensive end Carl Lawson — has registered more than one sack this season. Like McKinley, Lawson is in a contract year. Hubbard has also returned to practice this week and could be activated ahead of Cincinnati’s Week 10 game. The Bengals minimized Dunlap’s role and saw him become quite vocal about the demotion, leading to a trade. They will now take a flier on another player who went public about his standing with an organization.
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!! How’s not being a Falcon going for you now Takk???
Well he still gets paid and is no longer on a team he’s uncomfortable with and has a clear shot at playing time so he can try to produce so I’m guessing he’s doing ok.
You act like it’s a downgrade to go from the Falcons to the Bengals? It’s a lateral move.
Surprised the Cowboys and Giants passed on him
Same with Washington.
However, this is a unique where you might be one win away from 1st, and a 20-point dog in the playoffs, and one win away from the #2 pick.
So J Butte …. everyone thinks the Bengals are this God awful team to ally for. There not near as bad as you think … or the media makes them out to be. Did you know since 2000? There are 13 teams in the league with a worse won loss record? So they are in the bottom half but barely. I might add , things in Cincy look a lot brighter than Atlanta , your QB is washed up, your running back is a a has been, Julio is about to call it a day … defense is nonexistent… no coach … just saying , I would bet the Bengals are a far superior team than the falcons over the next 5-10 years.
Couldn’t agree more. The Bengals are in a much better spot then the Falcons right now.
I would like to see how the Bengals use him. I dont know if I like him with his hand on the ground as much.
Lol, half the Bengals team wanted out at the deadline. He went from bad to worse is my point. The Bengals are no where near competing in that division.
If by half you mean 2 old guys and an injury-prone former first rounder not good enough to start on a team that went 2-14 last season then yes, half.
Amen … exactly Joe , J butte , are the falcons competing ? AFC North is one of the toughest in football if not the toughest. I’m just saying, you act like Atlanta is the place to be … when realistically if I’m a football player with an average career length of 3 to 5 years … I’d much rather be in Cincy than Atlanta right now if I want to have a chance of being on a winner.
Atlanta is a cool town tho, I’ll give you that !
Nope, I’m acting like he’s a spoiled brat that’s never accomplished anything. He started his crap the day he was drafted and has acted like a clown since. Bengals have 1 sack by a DL all year…you want him, congratulations you got him. He’s terrible, a freaking nut job, and a petulant child. Good luck!
That’s fair, maybe a change of scenery will help, if not, then nothing lost. That conflicts with your other point , which one is it ? You said half the Bengals wanted to leave at trade deadline … Carlos Dunlop has aged to the point he wasn’t performing to maintain 3 down starting work … he didn’t like that … AJ Green never once said he wanted traded. As for John Ross , he was a injury prone first round bust … he can’t make the team weekly as the 5th receiver … he’s inactive every week … I’m not saying Cincy is a great place to be … but it’s better than people say and better than Atlanta right now …