The Cincinnati Bengals made their latest confusing personnel decision on Monday by releasing longtime starting safety George Iloka. The Bengals are spinning this move as a financial consideration, as it saves them a little over $5-million in salary cap space. It also gives rookie safety Jessie Bates a clearer road to starting on the back end of their defense. Iloka is hardly washed up, having just recently turned 28; check out this bit from Pro Football Focus in the wake of his release:
(Iloka) has averaged roughly 0.34 wins above replacement the last five years, never generating fewer than 0.