Brandon LaFell Cut by Bengals After 2 Seasons with Team

The Cincinnati Bengals released veteran wide receiver Brandon LaFell on Thursday.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, LaFell's agent, Jonathan Feinsod, said, "We have been lobbying for his release for some time now and appreciate the Bengals granting our request."

LaFell spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati.

Per Garafolo, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said recently that LaFell was "feeling the heat" from some of the other wideouts on the roster.

Last season, LaFell appeared in all 16 regular-season games and made 15 starts. He finished the campaign with 52 receptions for 548 yards and three touchdowns.

That represented a significant drop-off from his first season in Cincinnati when he reeled in 64 catches for 862 yards and six scores.

The 31-year-old LaFell is set to enter his ninth NFL season after stints with the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots and Bengals.

His most productive season came in 2014 with the Pats when he set career highs with 74 grabs for 953 yards and seven touchdowns. He won a Super Bowl with the Patriots that season as well.

The release of LaFell opens up more opportunities for Cincinnati's young receivers behind No. 1 target A.J. Green.

Third-year man Tyler Boyd is the prime candidate to step into the No. 2 role two years removed from a rookie season that saw him rack up 603 yards.

Also, after missing all but three games as a rookie due to injury, 2017 first-round pick John Ross is poised to take on a much bigger role.

The Bengals are losing a fairly reliable target in LaFell, but quarterback Andy Dalton will now get a better idea of what he has in some of the up-and-coming talent at the position.