Former Vikings Offensive Tackle Gets Large One-Year Deal with Bears
K. Joudry
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If things continue as they currently are, Riley Reiff may end his career having played for every team in the NFC North. The former Vikings LT is now heading to Chicago to help stabilize the offensive line. Priority #1 will be to protect sophomore QB Justin Fields, who was chosen in the first round of the 2021 Draft.
Frankly, it’s surprising to see Reiff make so much. He’s a good player, but he battled injuries last season and wasn’t elite during his time in Minnesota. The Bears, per Over the Cap, have more than $20 million in cap space without this new deal, so they certainly have room for the veteran lineman.
Originally, Riley Reiff was an offensive tackle for the Lions. He was chosen 23rd overall in the 2012 Draft. After five seasons in Detroit where he played both LT and RT, Reiff joined the Vikings in 2017. He went on to be the team’s LT for four years. The best PFF grade Reiff received during his time in Minnesota occurred in 2018 when he finished as the 26th tackle with a 74.1 score.
During the 2021 season, Reiff played for the Bengals, the team that lost in the Super Bowl to Kevin O’Connell’s Rams. He finished the year with a 67.3 PFF score.
Unless something completely unforeseen happens, the Bears won’t be going anywhere in 2022. Success for Chicago will involve seeing strong improvement from the young players, especially Fields. Figuring out whether the sophomore QB can be the long-term QB is of the utmost importance for new GM Ryan Poles. Reiff should help to give the young pass thrower more time to get rid of the football. Reiff, moreover, can help the other young players on the offense, especially the youth along the o-line. He’s a good pro, one who is quiet and steady.
It’ll be fun to watch Riley Reiff matchup against Danielle Hunter and/or Za’Darius Smith. The first Bears vs. Vikings game occurs in Week 5. That game takes place on Oct. 9th at 12:00.
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