Eric Reid Reportedly Will Have Free-Agency Meeting with Bengals

Free-agent safety Eric Reid will reportedly visit the Cincinnati Bengals, his first meeting with a team since hitting the open market.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news but did not give a specific date for the visit.

Reid, 26, spent his first five NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He remains on the market despite being a reliable starter for much of his time in San Francisco, and some point to his protests during the national anthem as the overarching cause.

Colin Kaepernick and Reid spearheaded the movement that's become the NFL's biggest controversy of the last two seasons. Reid has said he will not kneel during the national anthem if signed in 2018 because it has become a distraction from the true reasoning behind the protest—systemic oppression of minorities and police brutality.

"I said before, I stand by what I've done," Reid told reporters. "I know why I've done it. My faith in God is the reason. I can go to sleep at night confident that I did what I was taught to do. I'm just going to stay positive, keep training, keep staying in shape and we'll see what happens."

Reid has said NFL owners, not general manager or coaches, are the reason he's still a free agent. There are no black majority owners in the NFL. Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who is Pakistani-American, is the only minority.

Kaepernick is currently suing the NFL for collusion after going unsigned during the 2017 season despite throwing for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns against four interceptions for the 49ers in 2016.

Reid has started 69 of his 70 NFL games and recorded 67 tackles and two interceptions last season.