Billy

Price

It would appear veteran Price failed his training camp physical. Price managed to start 11 games for the Cardinals last season but provided poor play in the process. Headed into his age-29 campaign, Price’s phone might not be blowing up on the workout circuit.

The Saints were reportedly hunting for veteran depth behind Erik McCoy, who has missed nine games with injury over the past two years. Price was an 11-game starter for the Cardinals last season after getting plucked off the Raiders’ practice squad in early October. He has also started for the Giants and Bengals, but is sub-replacement level heading into his age-29 campaign.

The former Bengals first-round pick has bounced around as a journeyman the last two years with the Giants and Cardinals, also spending time with the Raiders practice squad. The Saints don’t have a backup center beyond UDFA rookie Alex Pihlstrom.

He was on the Las Vegas practice squad. Arizona actually had Price in for a visit in May, so we suppose it makes sense that he was on their priority list. Price has been mediocre-at-best at both guard and center throughout his early NFL career, but the former first-round pick will continue to get chances.

The market has been exceptionally slow for Price, who has improved as a run blocker over the past two years but has been ghastly in pass protection at center. The Cardinals have Rodney Hudson, so barring some sort of surprise move, Price would mostly be depth for them.

The compensation strongly suggests Price was not going to make the Bengals’ 53-man roster. The No. 21 overall pick of the 2018 draft lost his starting center job for good last season. Price played a ton of guard at Ohio State, so he will offer versatile interior depth for a line that is one of the league’s worst. The question is if Price will be a part of the solution or just another problem. His Bengals tenure was obviously not promising.

A first round pick in 2018 despite tearing his pectoral at the NFL Combine, Price has suffered a series of injuries and served as nothing more than a rotational player on the Bengals’ offensive line, starting a mere nine games over the past two seasons. Price, 26, will become a free agent next offseason. Pro Football Focus graded Price as the 47th best center in the NFL last year.

It will be Trey Hopkins at center instead. It’s not a good look for Price, who was selected 21st overall just last season, but he remains optimistic that he’ll earn another shot. Price will need to get healthy (foot) for that to happen. As a rookie, Price graded out as an average pass-blocker and below-average run-blocker across 10 games.

When there’s positive injury news for the Bengals, you have to blurb it. Price was able to pass his physical and is obviously in a great position to start at center on opening day. As a rookie last year, Price started only 10 games because of a foot injury, grading out as an average pass blocker and below-average run blocker.

Price has been sidelined since Week 2. He returned to practice this week but would need a Saturday upgrade to play. The Bengals are likely to hold Price out through their Week 9 bye.