Former Saints first-round pick out for year right before final playoff push

Former Saints first-round pick Sheldon Rankins is out for the year just before the Bengals’ final playoff push. He’s been battling a weekslong illness:

Former New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick Sheldon Rankins was trying to make a playoff push with his new team, but will now be lost for the remainder of the year due to a weekslong illness.

Rankins, currently with the Cincinnati Bengals, had been out of practice since Nov. 15 with the illness that will now have him end the year on the Non-Football Illness list, per an announcement from the team.

This could not have come at a worse time for the Bengals as they have a legitimate shot at coming back to make the playoffs. It will also likely spell the end of Rankins’ time in Cincinnati, given that is contract has an out after this season.

He finishes this year having played in seven games and picking up 18 tackles, one for a loss, and a sack. The former Saints first-round selection will likely be on to his fifth team in six years if the two sides part ways in the spring.

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