Former Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Riley Reiff is reportedly visiting with the New York Jets on Thursday as he looks to find a home for next season.
In an effort to prevent their quarterback from running for his life on every snap, the Minnesota Vikings decided to sign free-agent left tackle Riley Reiff during the 2017 offseason.
A former first-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, the Vikings were hoping that Reiff could play a major role in improving the team’s offensive line, so they gave him a five-year contract worth $58.75 million.
Reiff was decent during his time with Minnesota, but he wasn’t exactly a franchise left tackle. In 2021, the Vikings decided to move on from the veteran offensive lineman, and he ended up spending the 2021 regular season as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Former Minnesota Vikings left tackle Riley Reiff reportedly meeting with the New York Jets
No, Reiff did not live up the expectations that came with the lucrative contract that Minnesota gave him in 2017. But he’s still managed to play well enough to remain in the NFL for 10 seasons.
On Thursday, it was revealed that Reiff could be joining a new team in an effort to continue his career in the league. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the former Vikings left tackle will meet with the New York Jets on Thursday about a possible job for the 2022 season.
With the Bengals last year, PFF graded Reiff as the 49th-best offensive tackle in the NFL. In 12 games, he allowed 21 pressures and four sacks.
At this point in the offseason, it’s still unclear what the Jets’ plan is for who they would like to line up as their starting left tackle in 2022. By meeting with Reiff, however, they are clearly exploring all options.
At this point in his career, the former Minnesota offensive lineman would, at the very least, help improve the depth of New York’s current group of tackles. Reiff has been a starter during his whole NFL career, but if he wants to continue playing in the league, he might have to take on more of a backup role.