The Bengals re-signed a trio of depth players on the opening day of free agency, inking TE Drew Sample, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, and RB Trayveon Williams to new deals.
Sample’s deal is for 3 years/$10.5M.
He isn’t the flashiest player, but has developed into one of the league’s best blocking TE’s. Sample gets some term and a raise after taking a 1 year deal last offseason, while the Bengals are keeping an underrated part of the offence at a price that doesn’t break the bank. He is currently the only TE under contract, but that will soon change. This upcoming season, Sample should be continuing on in his same role, which will consist largely of blocking.
Davis-Gaither gets a 1 year/$3M deal.
Since being drafted in 2020, he has been one of the best depth pieces on defence. He has had to come off the bench from time to time, and played well in these stints. In addition to having ability in coverage, which goes back to his college days, Davis-Gaither has come along as a run defender. He will continue to provide valuable depth, while also playing a big role on special teams.
Williams, meanwhile, is signing a 1 year deal worth a little more than $1M.
He returned kickoffs and took on a bigger role in the offence last year, but was unable to do much to stand out. By the end of the year, he was losing snaps to Chase Brown. With Zack Moss now in the fold, and Chase Brown set for an increased role, Williams will be competing with Chris Evans and any other addition for a spot on the roster.
Featured Image Via: Erik Drost (CC)