BenJarvus Green-Ellis now is a man without a team.
The Cincinnati Bengals released the 29-year-old running back in the final round of preseason roster cuts, the team announced Friday.
Green-Ellis, who played four seasons with the New England Patriots before joining the Bengals in 2012, led Cincinnati in rushing each of the last two seasons. He was forced to share snaps with rookie back Giovanni Bernard last season, though, and his production slipped as a result.
The Bengals picked another running back, LSU’s Jeremy Hill, in the second round of this year’s NFL draft. Hill was a more attractive option than Green-Ellis, who has battled a hip injury during the preseason and was set to make $2.3 million this season.
Green-Ellis rushed for 1,850 yards over his two seasons in Cincinnati but lost some of the sure-handedness that was the hallmark of his game during his tenure in New England. After not fumbling once in 53 games with the Patriots, he coughed the ball up five times (losing four) in 31 games in a Bengals uniform.
Photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
