Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Raiders, Browns and 49ers also placed waivers claims for DE Takk McKinley on Wednesday. However, the Bengals had the highest priority of the teams that put in claims.
The waiver priority is based on the current 2021 draft order, which means the 49ers would have been next in line to get him had the Bengals passed.
Atlanta waived him a week after he announced on Twitter that the Falcons turned down trade offers including a fifth and sixth-round pick for him at the deadline this year.
McKinley said Atlanta also turned down a second-round pick at the trade deadline last year.
McKinley, 24, is a former first-round pick by the Falcons out of UCLA in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s entering the final year of his four-year, $10.2 million rookie contract and is set to make a base salary of $1.85 million for the 2020 season.
McKinley finished last year on the injured reserve list due to a shoulder injury. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2021 after the Falcons declined his fifth-year option.
In 2020, McKinley has appeared in four games for the Falcons and recorded eight total tackles, one sack and one pass defense.
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