The Cincinnati Bengals have ushered in a bit of a youth movement over the past couple of years. As a result, they have parted ways with a number of their more integral pieces.

Wide receiver Brandon LaFell was the latest victim after being released by the Bengals on Thursday. Wide receiver AJ Green was admittedly upset at LaFell's departure, via the team's official website.

“Brandon was a guy who was great for our room — a veteran who knows how to be a pro, knows every position, could have plugged him in anywhere so losing him hurts, but it’s a business,” Green said, via the team’s website. “There are a lot of young guys here that are ready to play, but it sucks, me and Brandon became real close this last year. He was one of my friends off the field. It’s tough, but it’s a business and he knows the business side of it.”

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Green's comments are indicative of the business side of sports. Unfortunately, the writing may have been on the wall for some time now.

LaFell largely served as the team's No. 2 wideout behind Green over the past two seasons. During that time he registered 116 receptions for 1,410 yards and nine touchdowns. That said, there is a strong possibility he could still find a new home before the start of the season. However, it is clear that Cincinnati has decided to rely on its bevy of young wideouts for the 2018 NFL season.

Leading the pack is last year's first-round pick, John Ross. The speedster essentially missed his entire rookie campaign due to injury. Fortunately, he has managed to show plenty of promise thus far in training camp, and it appears he has won the trust of his coaching staff.