Jeff Gunter, a seventh-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022 NFL Draft, has officially retired from the NFL. The Bengals placed Gunter on the Reserve/Retired list on Wednesday afternoon.
Gunter, who played as an edge defender, appeared in 10 games during his rookie season in 2022.
However, his momentum was halted when he was waived before the 2023 season. He spent the entire season on the practice squad and was re-signed on a one-year deal at the start of this offseason.
We have placed DE Jeff Gunter on the Reserve/Retired list. pic.twitter.com/ejUxIIUhOW
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 14, 2024
Interestingly, Gunter is the second seventh-round pick from the Bengals to retire early in his career. Wyatt Hubert, another edge defender selected in the seventh round in 2021, also retired after just one season in 2022.
The reason for Gunter’s sudden retirement at such a young age is unknown, but the impact on the Bengals’ roster is clear.
Jeff Gunter’s retirement opens up a significant opportunity for Cedric Johnson, one of the Bengals’ sixth-round picks from this year’s draft. Johnson, who was competing with Gunter for the fifth edge defender spot, now becomes the favorite to secure that role, especially with Cam Sample out for the year due to an Achilles tear.
Johnson, who played at Ole Miss and is the youngest player on the Bengals, impressed during his preseason debut last weekend with a sack and a tackle for loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here’s a promising draft pick in Cedric Johnson! Winning on the inside and then getting off the block. It’s easy to see why the Bengals took a chance on the 21 year old late in the draft! #Bengals #WhoDey #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/hGPGUL8Xgn
— GameOn513 (@gameonjmoney) August 12, 2024
Given his strong performance, youth, and the fact that he was drafted more recently and earlier than Gunter, Johnson was likely to win the spot regardless. Now, with Gunter’s retirement, Johnson’s path to securing a roster spot seems even clearer.
