Bengals offensive lineman Evan Mathis is the answer to a long-standing question: Which player could the Bengals purposely take out of the starting lineup to actually make the offensive line worse? As we've pointed out countless times, when Mathis starts at left guard, the Bengals interestingly win football games. Mathis was graded as the third best linemen during pass and rush blocks by Pro Football Focus during a seven-game stretch that the Bengals went 6-1. He graded as the second-best overall lineman for the entire year and as this awesome reward, they replace him with a player that Pro Football Focus graded as one of the worst offensive linemen on the team.
In a series of tweets, Mathis made his displeasure playing for the Bengals known and it kind of sucks. How much better could the Bengals have been if they left alone this ridiculous desire to rotate linemen at left guard and right tackle, when all they probably needed was a little stability with Mathis and offensive tackle Anthony Collins.
One team that Mathis might have an interest in playing for is the Arizona Cardinals, according to Mike Jurecki of 910 AM in Phoenix.
Birdseed’ I’m hearing F/A guard Evan Mathis (Cincy) has interest in playing for the Cards, 05’ 3rd pk, college Alabama, 6’5 295. #Oline