Bengals claim McKinley off waivers

The Cincinnati Bengals claimed defensive end Takk McKinley off waivers, the team announced Wednesday.

With a 2-5-1 record, the Bengals were eighth in line to make a claim on any player released Tuesday.

The Atlanta Falcons released the 2017 first-round pick after McKinley shared on social media that he had asked the team for a trade and was unhappy when the deadline passed without a deal.

Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris said the club needed to determine whether McKinley could return to the team after his public criticisms.

The 25-year-old is in his fourth season and has recorded 17.5 career sacks.

The Bengals are tied for 25th in sacks with 11. Defensive end Carl Lawson leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and no other Bengal has notched more than one.

Cincinnati traded veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 29 for center B.J. Finney and a 2021 seventh-round pick.