Austin Reiter finally receives free agent attention from Cincinnati Bengals

This offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs set about rebuilding their entire offensive line, a response to long season of attrition to injuries and inconsistent performances up front. In the process, the Chiefs decided to part ways with starting center Austin Reiter.

While Reiter was never going to be mistaken for an All-Pro at center for the Chiefs, he was a solid player who ascended the depth chart in K.C. to not only hang onto an active roster spot but then moved into a starting role for a team who won one Super Bowl and appeared in another. The very fact that he’s been sitting in free agency with little known interest has been a surprise. Fortunately for Reiter, his wait for a new team might be over soon.

NFL reporter Tom Pelissero broke the news that Reiter will be visiting with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday in the first known free agent visit for the offensive lineman this offseason.

Austin Reiter has finally gotten some attention in free agency from the Cincinnati Bengals.

Reiter was a smart under-the-radar acquisition by Chiefs general manager Brett Veach a few years ago as a last-minute waiver claim from the Cleveland Browns. Reiter not only held on that year to a reserve role on the team behind Mitch Morse but even earned a two-year contract extension that wrapped after the 2020 campaign.

Over the last two years, Reiter has largely occupied the starting center role, although the Chiefs did flirt with Daniel Kilgore in the middle for a few games in 2020 in an apparent attempt to experiment with something different. That midseason switch was a telling sign for Reiter’s future.

The Chiefs made things official this offseason by signing Austin Blythe to a one-year deal in free agency before drafting a new assumed long-term starter in Creed Humphrey in the second round. However it should be noted that some rumors persisted saying the Chiefs wanted to bring Reiter back, presumedly at a discount.

Reiter, who is 29 years old, has started 32 games for the Chiefs at center in the last three seasons.