When La'el Collins signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, he was expected to help lead a new-look offensive line in front of Joe Burrow. But do to injuries and the contract extension Cincinnati just doled out to Burrow, Collins no longer had a fit on the team.

By releasing him, the Bengals saved around $6 million in cap space. While that cap space helped remedy same of the money Cincy paid Burrow, head coach Zac Taylor is still sad to see Collins go, h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

“It's tough. There's never a great time. He worked really hard for us,” Taylor said. “I have a lot of respect for LC and the way he went about his business. He gave us some really good snaps last year until the injury. I enjoyed being around LC.”

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The Bengals originally signed Collins to a three-year, $21 million contract with the Bengals last offseason. He made 15 starts for the team before going down with an ACL injury. Collins has been rehabbing that brutal injury ever since and has been unable to return to the field. While he has made strides in practice, Cincinnati could no longer afford Collins' hefty contract.

While it only lasted one season, Zac Taylor seems like he was impressed with what La'el Collins had to offer. Now a free agent, the offensive lineman will enter free agency with Taylor's blessing. It didn't happen this year in Cincinnati, but Collins will look to find a franchise that will give him an opportunity to finish rehab and make his NFL return.