Bengals waive offensive tackle Fred Johnson

The Cincinnati Bengals will be waiving offensive tackle Fred Johnson after re-signing him to a deal earlier today.

It is a head scratching move on the surface, but doing it like Cincinnati has will likely result in them saving more cap space.

Johnson, a restricted free agent, was initially tendered for just over $2 million near the beginning of the free agency period. It was a move that seemed to give Cincinnati a safety net at tackle in case they couldn't secure an upgrade.

The Bengals recently made it official that they signed free agent tackle Label Collins after he was released by the Dallas Cowboys. That move has made Johnson—who was a healthy scratch for most of 2021—expendable in Cincinnati’s future plans.

The deal was likely one that Johnson appreciates as he can catch on with a roster that he will have a chance of making. There’s also a chance Johnson returns on a cheaper deal to compete for the roster.