Bengals Set to Sign High-Upside Offensive Threat in Free Agency

The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the most talented and prolific offenses in the NFL, lead by quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and running back Joe Mixon. One area they could potentially use some help is at tight end. With the loss of C.J. Uzomah in free agency this offseason, the Bengals brought in former first-round pick Hayden Hurst as a replacement.

On Wednesday though, it is expected that the Cincinnati Bengals will sign another former first-round pick tight end: O.J. Howard.

O.J. Howard Bengals

Howard was signed by the Bills this offseason, but failed to properly adjust to his new offense in training camp and didn't make the final 53-man roster.

Hurst and Howard have somewhat of a similar career arc. Both drafted in the first round, both excellent college players seemed destined for immediate success in the NFL, but neither ever really fully delivered on those expectations and now are both potentially heading for their third team (if you want to count Howard's stint with the Bills).

Howard's best season came in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he hauled in 34 catches for 565 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The point remains, Howard and Hurst both clearly have talent that has hasn't quite been unveiled at the NFL level yet. They are athletic tight ends and still in their primes. Cincinnati clearly thinks it can make a bonafide starting tight end out of one of them, or at least it hopes.

Howard shouldn't cost much, and should be motivated. Maybe things can change for the both of these guys being a part of a young and talented pass-centric offense in Cincinnati.

The Bengals kick off the 2022 NFL season at home against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati is a 6.5-point home favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

David Kaestle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username davekaestle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.