5 things to know about new Bears OT Riley Reiff
The Chicago Bears made a huge move on the offensive line signing veteran tackle Riley Reiff on Tuesday. Reiff, 33, comes to Chicago after one season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Reiff’s veteran experience will make him a great addition to the team, and he’s the clear favorite to start at left tackle this season. The Bears can use all the help they can get, as Justin Fields was sacked 36 times in 12 games last season.
Here are five things to know about the newest member of the Bears, Riley Reiff.
Reiff is a former first-round draft pick
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The Detroit Lions drafted Reiff with the 23rd overall in the 2012 NFL draft. Reiff appeared in all 16 games for Detroit in 2012, including eight starts. Since his rookie season, he has started in all 131 games he’s appeared in. He has missed just 14 games over the last nine seasons.
Reiff brings longevity and consistency to Chicago. He’s played in a total of 147 regular season games and four playoff games.
Reiff is no stranger to the NFC North
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Before joining the Bengals, Reiff played nine seasons in the NFC North. After his five-year stint in Detroit, Reiff joined the Minnesota Vikings. In four seasons as a Viking, Reiff started 58 games, including three playoff starts – two in 2017 and one in 2019.
He is no stranger to Chicago or any of the teams in the NFC for that matter. This upcoming 2022 season will be his 10th year in the NFC North.
Reiff was part of the 2021 AFC Champion Bengals
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Reiff was part of the Bengals’ Super Bowl team last season. He started 12 games at left tackle. Unfortunately, he missed five of the team’s six regular-season games and the entirety of the postseason due to an ankle injury. Cincinnati went from being the worst team in football during the 2019 NFL season to the AFC Champions in 2021.
The two-year turnaround had a lot to due with Joe Burrow’s fantastic play. Still, Reiff was his left tackle for 12 games. Cincinnati struggled with keeping Burrow in a clean pocket, but Reiff only allowed four sacks in 771 offensive snaps. In addition, Reiff had only one penalty in 2021, an issue Chicago has had over the years.
Reiff has played against the Bears every season in his career
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With Reiff playing for both the Lions and Vikings, he’s had plenty of chances to play against the Bears. When he left the NFC North, that changed. But after signing with the Bengals in 2021, he once again returned to Soldier Field, this time, not a part of the NFC North.
Reiff and the Bengals traveled to Chicago in Week 2, en route to a 20-17 win for the Bears. In 17 career games against the Bears, Reiff’s teams are 9-8. Now, he’ll get to play at Soldier Field as part of the home team.
Reiff can play multiple positions
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In his 10-year career, Reiff has played mostly left tackle but has been moved around the offensive line. In 2016, he played right tackle for the Lions. He also saw time as a right and left guard.
With his ability to move around the offensive line, Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy will have flexibility with Reiff. Chicago is no stranger to switching things up when it comes to their offensive line. They’ve been notorious for that, with one of their most questionable moves being them moving Cody Whitehair to guard from center during his Pro Bowl season in 2018.
Whether the switches were good or bad, the Bears haven’t been afraid to move things around. With Reiff’s versatility, don’t be surprised if he plays both tackle positions this upcoming season.
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