The Bengals have signed TE Irv Smith to a 1 year deal.
Smith was originally a 2nd round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. He has shown some flashes, but injuries have caused him to miss a lot of time. His entire 2021 season was lost, as was half of 2022.
The Bengals needed to add a TE at some point in free agency, after losing Hayden Hurst. He was the best available at the position, after the Bengals missed out on some of the other free agents. Smith is on the small side for a TE, standing at only 6’2”, and he has dealt with some drop issues. That said, Smith brings athleticism to the TE room, and he has the ability to create separation down the field. In the Bengals offence, he has the potential to put up some solid numbers. As well, for a smaller guy, he is a half decent blocker.
Smith raises the floor at the TE position for the Bengals, but the expectation is still that they will look to add another in the draft. When that happens is up for debate at this time. It is a stacked TE class, so there is a good chance that value can be had late on day 2 or early on day 3. But the early round TE’s will also be tempting. Either way, they should be able to find someone good to pair up with Smith.
Modified Homescreen Image Via: Atlanta Falcons (CC)