Bengals Could Release RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis Before The Start Of The Season?

Coley Harvey of ESPN.com believes the Bengals could cut veteran RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis before the regular season is underway.

Harvey mentions that it’s a “mystery” that Green-Ellis is still on the team’s roster with the addition of second-round pick Jeremy Hill.

Cincinnati would free up $2.5 million in available cap space by cutting Green-Ellis loose, which could help them to address some of their players who are entering the final year of their contracts such as QB Andy Dalton and LB Vontaze Burfict.

All indications out of Bengals camp have been that the team is giving more work to Giovani Bernard and Hill with Green-Ellis seeing time as the third running back.

Harvey points out that new OC Hue Jackson has used three running backs in the past, so it’s not a given that Green-Ellis will be released, although it remains a possibility.

Green-Ellis, 28, is entering the final year of his three-year, $9 million contract and will make $2.3 million for the upcoming season. Last year, averaged just 3.4 yards-per-carry on 220 attempts and ran for 756 yards and seven touchdowns.

The addition of Hill gives Cincinnati an added pass-catching dimension out of the backfield. Hill was able to gather 18 receptions for 181 yards in his final season with LSU. In comparison, Green-Ellis only earned 22-yards through four receptions in 2013.

I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about Green-Ellis and the Bengals in the next few months.