Players:
87. CJ Uzomah
89. Drew Sample
82. Cheyenne O’Grady
84. Mitchell Wilcox
81. Thaddeus Moss
86. Mason Schreck
88. Pro Wells
The Bengals are no strangers when it comes to injuries at TE. For several years, they dealt with unfortunate injuries to Tyler Eifert who, at the time, was a major part of the offense. The Bengals let Eifert walk in free agency following the 2019 season, setting up CJ Uzomah with the chance to be the full time starter. The bad injury luck, however, did not leave with Eifert, as Uzomah suffered a season ending achilles injury in week 2 against the Browns.
With Joe Burrow also recovering from a season ending injury — and making great progress — Uzomah’s status has somewhat gone under the radar. Reports on that front have all been positive and his recovery has been on the fast side. In fact, Uzomah himself has already said that he is fully recovered from the injury.
Now that he is ready to go, Uzomah will likely step back into that number 1 spot on the depth chart, as he looks to continue the early chemistry he showed with Joe Burrow.
Drew Sample also figures to have a role. He has already established himself as an upper tier blocking TE, something he was known for in college as well, and brings enough to the table as a receiver to see a few targets here and there. At the moment, however, he seems to be firmly behind Uzomah in the pecking order.
After Cethan Carter signed with the Dolphins in free agency, the number 3 spot on the TE depth chart is completely up for grabs. When trying to determine who the front runner may be, the answer to that question will likely depend on what perspective you look at it from.
Based on talent alone, Cheyenne O’Grady should have no problem scooping up the third spot, as he has an athletic and skill advantage over most of the guys he is competing with. He went undrafted in 2020, largely due to some maturity issues that plagued him during his time at Arkansas. Reports have indicated that he is now passed them, but nevertheless, he will need to prove it — and he has the opportunity to do so.
Mitchell Wilcox spent most of last season on the Bengals practice squad. Considering he wasn’t given much opportunity to prove anything, it is hard to determine his exact placing among this group, but the team did think enough of him to keep him around. Going back to his draft year, he didn’t show the best athleticism, but he did show the ability to make some impressive catches. Perhaps his year in the system can give him an edge.
Thaddeus Moss will be the most popular name among the fringe players because of his name and LSU connection with Joe Burrow. His name value may be enough to break a tie but, contrary to many opinions, it will not earn him a spot on its own. Moss has legitimate concerns as a TE prospect, including size, athleticism, and route running. He did show great body control in college and seems to have a good set of mitts. He will need to prove that he deserves a place on the team.
Mason Schreck was a 7th round pick by the Bengals in 2017. He has the size and athleticism of a good TE, but he has never been able to translate it into success on the field. Now four years later, he is surely running out of chances and this may be his last one to try and cement his position on the team.
Rounding out the position group is undrafted rookie Pro Wells. He isn’t the flashiest player, but the backend of the depth chart is weak enough for him to still have an outside shot. Wells isn’t considered a great athlete, but he has good size and has flashed the ability to win through the air. Perhaps he can secure a spot if he is able to show this consistently in camp and the preseason.
While guys like O’Grady, Wilcox, Moss, Schreck, and Wells will all be vying for the third (and possibly fourth) spot on the depth chart, there should also be a spot or two up for grabs on the practice squad for the losers of this battle. At the moment, it seems to be one of the more wide open competitions on the Bengals offence, which means that it should be a fun one to follow.
Modified Homescreen Image Via: Erik Drost (CC)