Bengals release veteran center B.J. Finney

The Bengals have released center B.J. Finney, per a club announcement. Finney came over to the Bengals in last year’s Carlos Dunlap trade but only wound up dressing for one game.

The Bengals are looking to remake their offensive line this year after watching rookie quarterback Joe Burrow get battered. Even before the season started, the O-Line was viewed as a major liability. Then, in Week 11, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL. Historically, they haven’t spent big on the front five, but you can expect that to change once free agency opens. Or, they could turn to the trade market, where high-priced veterans like Giants guard Kevin Zeitler and Jaguars guard Andrew Norwell could be up for grabs.

While most clubs are facing a cap crunch, the Bengals are well-positioned to spend. Even before the release of Finney, they were projected to have upwards of $40M in room, depending on the final cap figure. Now, the center is free to go where ever he wants, and that could lead to a Pittsburgh return.