CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 30: Riley Reiff #71 of the Cincinnati Bengals plays the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars during an NFL game at Paul Brown Stadium on September 30, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Riley Reiff was among the former Lions who has lingered available as training camps get rolling, but no more as he has signed with another NFC North team.
Former Lions offensive tackle Riley Reiff, for some, was one of the top available NFL free agents as the summer wore on and he remained unsigned. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Lions agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday.
Per Schefter, Reiff’s deal with the Bears is worth up to $12.5 million with $10 million “likely to be earned”–or as a practical matter, guaranteed. He previously had a visit with the New York Jets, but he did not sign despite a reported offer from them.
Reiff spent last season with the Cincinnati Bengals, but an injury prevented him from playing during their run to the Super Bowl. He started all 12 games he played at right tackle for the Bengals, with a 96.8 pass blocking efficiency rating per Pro Football Focus, as PFF ranked him No. 49 among all offensive tackles by overall grade.
Riley Reiff continues his tour of the NFC North
After five seasons with the Lions, the last (2016) at right tackle to make room for then-rookie Taylor Decker, Reiff signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017 and became a left tackle again. After four seasons in Minnesota, and not being willing to take a pay cut for the second year in a row, he was let go and landed in Cincinnati last year.
Which tackle post Reiff will man for the Bears is unclear right now. But he’s been solid at both spots throughout his career, with a total of 139 starts on his resume. Chicago is finally making some moves to better protect Justin Fields after also signing guard Michael Schofield on Monday.
It seems unlikely Reiff will ever land with the Green Bay Packers, but they’re now all that’s left for him to complete a full tour of the NFC North.