Fan favorite Bengals rookie signs with another team ahead of his second year after never seeing the field in Cincinnati
A new chapter is in store for former Bengals center Seth McLaughlin.
Seth McLaughlin is saying goodbye after one year with the Cincinnati Bengals, and is headed to that state up north.
McLaughlin signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Detroit Lions on Tuesday. The deal ensures the 24-year old center will officially join their roster the Monday following Super Bowl LV.
McLaughlin, a one-year starter at Ohio State who won the Rimmington Award in 2024, was originally an undrafted free agent signed by the Bengals following the 2025 NFL Draft. He fell out of the draft due to a torn Achilles he suffered late in 2024, but he was ESPN’s top available prospect who didn’t get drafted. Cincinnati landed him as a UDFA when he chose to stay in the Buckeye State to play for Joe Burrow.
This made McLaughlin an easy fan favorite amongst Bengals fans who also bleed Scarlet and Gray, but his return to Cincy was not in the cards.
Bengals watch Seth McLaughlin leave for another opportunity
Cincinnati could’ve easily retained McLaughlin if both sides wanted it to happen. A futures deal is just about the smallest NFL contract in existence, and players who are offered one almost always take it and run. It’s designed to bring back players who spent the previous season on the practice squad.
Either the Bengals didn’t offer McLaughlin a deal, or he chose to sign with the Lions instead. All 32 teams are able to offer players from other practice squads of clubs eliminated from the postseason once the regular season concludes. Detroit ended up on the outside looking in at the NFC playoffs like the Bengals were on the AFC side of the bracket.
McLaughlin never played a down for the Bengals outside of two preseason games in which he played a total of 30 snaps. When backup C Matt Lee suffered a knee injury in October, the rookie was never called up to the active roster.
A future return to Cincinnati could be in the cards, but McLaughlin’s next chapter will take place for a blue team north of Ohio.
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