Eric Reid’s free agent visit with the Bengals takes a turn during anthem protest discussion

Former 49ers safety Eric Reid took a visit with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that there was a “real chance” he signed on the visit.

During his visit, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reports that kneeling during the national anthem became a topic of discussion with owner Mike Brown:

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Brown personally met with Reid when Reid visited the Bengals on Monday. Brown, according to the source, initiated discussion regarding the issue of kneeling during the anthem. The conversation almost exclusively centered on the topic, with Brown explaining that he intends to prohibit it — and with Brown at one point asking Reid for his response.

Reid, caught off guard by the line of questioning, wasn’t willing to make a commitment on the spot. Last month, Reid said he’s currently not planning to kneel or otherwise demonstrate during the anthem. But Reid, who is considering other options for bringing attention to societal issues he considers to be important, hasn’t made any final decisions, and he wasn’t willing to do so at the direct request and behest of Brown.

Florio said Reid took a physical and reviewed film with the coaching staff in the visit. He added, “Coach Marvin Lewis asked Reid if he wants to clarify anything that Reid told ownership regarding the anthem. Reid said that he had no clarifications or changes to make to what he had said, and the visit ended not long after that without an offer being made to Reid.”

Reid was one of the first players to join Colin Kaepernick in protest during the national anthem over oppression and injustices that people of color in the United States face. He was briefly involved with the Players Coalition, which was formed to collaborate with the NFL to work toward solutions to the issues that players were protesting over during the anthem, but withdrew over differences with Malcolm Jenkins.

Reid said in late March he wouldn’t be protesting during the national anthem if he were to be signed.

“We understand you have to change with the times,” Reid told reporters via the Washington Post. “I’m not saying I’m going to stop being active because I won’t. I’m just going to consider different ways to be active, different ways to bring awareness to the issues of this country and improve on the issues happening in this country. I don’t think it will be in the form of protesting during the anthem. I say during because it’s crazy that the narrative changed to we were protesting the anthem and that wasn’t the case. I think we’re going to take a different approach to how we’re going to be active.”

Reid spent the first five seasons of his career with the 49ers. He’s got 10 interceptions, 36 pass defenses, 264 tackles, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. He’s an above-average safety (and even played some linebacker last season), with an 81.4 grade on Pro Football Focus, and ranked No. 43 in SB Nation’s top 100 free agents. He’s one of the few that still have yet to be signed, and still just 26 years old.

It’s not surprising that the owner of a team brought up protests during the national anthem, as well as the idea of banning them. But after Kaepernick wasn’t signed for the 2017 season, it’s worth keeping an eye on what happens with Reid. Getting a meeting with a team was farther than Kaepernick ever got, so there’s still a chance he gets signed. But nothing’s for sure.