The Cincinnati Bengals have released veteran driving back Giovani Bernard, the team announced on Wednesday.
Bernard, 29, has spent all his eight NFL seasons with the franchise that landed him in the second round in 2013. He appeared in 115 games and rushed for 3,697 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also had 342 receptions for 2,867 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The former North Carolina player entered the senior year of a two-year extension he signed in September 2019. The Bengals will receive $ 4.1 million in salary savings with Bernard’s release and make up just $ 666,667 in dead money at the limit, according to Grid Management System.
Bernard started a career-high 10 games in 2020 because Joe Mixon was out with a foot injury. His best rush was an 83-meter attempt in a win over Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football, the Bengals’ first win over the Steelers since 2015. It was Bernard’s highest number of rushes since week 16 of the 2017 season.
The Bengals have parted ways with several notable veterans who were part of the team’s playoffs from 2011 to 2015. The team released former All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins earlier this off-season and signed the former Pro Bowl-wide recipient AJ Green not again.