NOLA Saints should steer clear of Riley Reiff in free agency
The NOLA Saints are used to having one of the best offensive lines in the league but this past season didn’t reflect that. Now, injuries definitely played a part in that, as Terron Armstead, Andrus Peat, Erik McCoy, and Ryan Ramczyk all missed a good portion of the season, leaving below-average right guard Cesar Ruiz as the only durable starter.
With the black and gold potentially losing Armstead in free agency, they’ll naturally be looking for a left tackle this spring, whether it’s in free agency or the draft.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report discussed one free agent that every team should avoid and for the Saints, it was current Bengals offensive tackle, Riley Reiff.
Kay offered this analysis:
"One massive mistake New Orleans could make if it is able to free up space is using it to sign an overpriced replacement for Armstead.Riley Reiff is back in the free-agent pool after playing out a one-year deal with the Bengals. He made the switch from the left to right side of the line in Cincinnati but could return to the position at which he spent most of his 10-year career.The Saints would likely ask Reiff to play left tackle again if they signed him, but a 33-year-old who has been inconsistent and is now coming off an ankle injury would be a costly pickup."
NOLA Saints should not be interested in Riley Reiff
Reiff had a decent season in Cincinnati despite the switch from the left side of the line to the right side but an injury put him on IR and as a result, sidelined him for five of the final six games.
The Saints already dealt with a fair share of injuries on their offensive line so signing a guy who was banged up in the latter half of the 2021 season probably isn’t the best strategy.
The best course of action for New Orleans this offseason should Armstead depart is to either turn to the draft to find a left tackle or sign a bargain guy who hasn’t had injury problems but that seems easier said than done.
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Reiff is productive when he’s on the field but the injuries should be enough to scare New Orleans away from him in free agency.