The most popular free agent guard fans wanted the Bengals to sign retired earlier this year under everyone’s noses
Another option off the board.
Former NFL All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff is exactly what that description says he is. He’s now a former NFL player.
Scherff entered NFL free agency earlier this offseason and soon became the most popular name amongst Cincinnati Bengals fans for the team to sign.
As it turns out, Scherff decided to call it a career over the summer according to his 2025 Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Spotlight. Scherff played four years of college ball at Iowa and won the Outland Trophy for best interior offensive lineman in 2014.
Scherff never made a public announcement of his retirement, but the 33-year old sounds excited to enter the next chapter of his life.
“It’s been something I could never dream of. Sometimes I would tell my wife that she has to pinch me, because I’m playing a kid’s game, and being able to do it as a job is pretty amazing. Now, having kids and being able to see them after games is absolutely wonderful. So I would say it’s a dream come true. And I will be forever grateful to have had that chance.” — Brandon Scherff via hawkeyesports.com
Scherff ended up playing 10 years in the NFL, most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022-24. He made five Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2020.
Cincinnati made for a logical next team for Scherff due to a massive need at right guard. The club signed Lucas Patrick in free agency and re-signed Cody Ford as its plan to fill the position instead.
Neither Patrick nor Ford are panning out after three weeks of training camp, and even fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers is getting snaps with the second-team o-line now.
It’s far from an ideal situation the Bengals have put themselves in, and one potential solution already took himself off the table.
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