The Cincinnati Bengals have abruptly released starting safety George Iloka, according to a report.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Iloka fell victim to a financial decision, but will hit the open market immediately.
A stunner: The #Bengals are releasing starting safety George Iloka, per @MikeGarafolo and me. He’s started every game he’s played in since 2013. Purely a financial decision, but a 28-year-old safety hitting the market at this point is good news for interested teams.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 19, 2018
Iloka would have been due $5.3 million this season had he remained on the Cincinnati roster.
Iloka has been a mainstay in the Bengals’ secondary for nearly his entire career. In 76 career starts, Iloka has picked off nine passes — one of them on the unique side — and collected 230 solo tackles. He re-signed with the Bengals on a five-year deal prior to the 2016 season.
Iloka likely won’t have to wait long to find a new home. Starting-caliber safeties in their prime don’t hit the market often, especially in August.
