The Bengals have re-signed TE Tanner Hudson to a 1 year deal.
Hudson originally joined the Bengals late in 2022, signing onto the practice squad. After an impressive preseason, he narrowly missed out on making the opening roster in 2023, and ended up on the practice squad again.
Part way through the 2023 season, Hudson earned his promotion to the roster, where he has since remained. Though not a star player, Hudson has been a reliable member of the passing attack when called upon.
As a Bengal, he has tallied up 58 receptions for 506 yards and 2 TD’s.
This is a solid move for the Bengals. They keep a reliable TE option, at a cheap price. Other players, like Drew Sample, Tanner McLachlan, and Cam Grandy also remain in the fold. With Erick All likely to miss the 2025 season, the only question mark remaining for the position is the status of Mike Gesicki. Gesicki, a pending free agent, is someone the Bengals would still like to re-sign. We’ll see if they can retain him, as they have done with Hudson.
As for Hudson, he is likely to continue as a depth piece next season, assuming he makes the team. But it is good to have someone lower down the depth chart with a pretty high floor.
The Bengals have also re-signed G/OT Jaxson Kirkland to a 1 year deal. This one happened a few days ago.
Kirkland was originally signed by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad.
In 2024, he came into camp and impressed, before carrying it over into the preseason. With his good performances, Kirkland was able to crack the roster as a depth guy who brings inside/outside versatility.
Kirkland saw his first regular season action in week 5, but quickly had to exit after suffering a biceps injury. He spent the rest of the season on IR.
As an ERFA, the Bengals were the only team he could negotiate with. It makes sense for them to retain him, given the promise that he showed and the low cost.
