We move back to the Offensive side of the ball and talk TE. The room has a whole new look for 2024. So, where we got Mike/ Drew/ Tanner?

As always, the competition:

ARZ: TREY MCBRIDE/ ELIJAH HIGGINS/ TIP REIMAN
ATL: KYLE PITTS/ CHARLIE WOERNER/ JOHN FITZPATRICK
BAL: MARK ANDREWS/ ISAIAH LIKELY/ CHARLIE KOLAR
BUF: DALTON KINCAID/ DAWSON KNOX/ QUINTIN MORRIS
CAR: TOMMY TREMBLE/ JA'TAVION SANDERS/ IAN THOMAS
CHI: COLE KMET/ GERALD EVERETT/ MARCEDES LEWIS
CLV: DAVID NJOKU/ JORDAN AKINS/ GIOVANNI RICCI
DAL: JAKE FERGUSON/ LUKE SCHOONMAKER / PEYTON HENDERSHOT
DEN: ADAM TRAUTMAN / GREG DULCICH / LUCAS KRULL
DET: SAM LAPORTA/ BROCK WRIGHT/ JAMES MITCHELL
GBP: LUKE MUSGRAVE/ TUCKER KRAFT / BEN SIMS
HOU: DALTON SCHULTZ/ BREVIN JORDAN/ CADE STOVER
IND: JELANI WOODS/ KYLEN GRANSON/ MO ALIE-COX
JAX: EVAN ENGRAM/ LUKE FARRELL/ BRENTON STRANGE
KCC: TRAVIS KELCE/ NOAH GRAY/ JARED WILEY
LAC: WILL DISSLY/ HAYDEN HURST/ DONALD PARHAM JR.
LAR: TYLER HIGBEE / COLBY PARKINSON/ DAVIS ALLEN
LVR: BROCK BOWERS/ MICHAEL MAYER/ HARRISON BRYANT
MIA: JONNU SMITH/ DURHAM SMYTHE/ JULIAN HILL
MIN: T.J. HOCKENSON / JOSH OLIVER/ ROBERT TONYAN
NEP: HUNTER HENRY/ AUSTIN HOOPER/ MITCHELL WILCOX
NOS: JUWAN JOHNSON / TAYSOM HILL/ FOSTER MOREAU
NYG: DANIEL BELLINGER / THEO JOHNSON/ JACK STOLL
NYJ: TYLER CONKLIN/ JEREMY RUCKERT/ KENNY YEBOAH
PHI: DALLAS GOEDERT/ C.J. UZOMAH/ GRANT CALCATERRA
PIT: PAT FREIERMUTH/ DARNELL WASHINGTON/ CONNOR HEYWARD
SEA: NOAH FANT/ PHARAOH BROWN/ AJ BARNER
SFF: GEORGE KITTLE / LOGAN THOMAS/ CAMERON LATU
TBB: CADE OTTON/ KO KIEFT/ PAYNE DURHAM
TEN: CHIGOZIEM OKONKWO/ JOSH WHYLE/ NICK VANNETT
WAS: ZACH ERTZ/ BEN SINNOTT/ JOHN BATES

TOP FA’s: GEOFF SWAIM/ KENNY YOBOAH/ TYLER KROFT

We need to see the Miami version of Gesicki in order to not be a bottom tier group. Went with 21-26, as he’s at least probably the most talented TE Burrow has had to date.

I put them in the 21-26 group, only on the strength of the Mike Gesicki signing. That TE room has a lot of proving to do.

Same as above. ^^^

Gonna have to see how well the two rookies do. Never really know how college kids will develop..

I put us in the 21-26 range, but it feels closer to 26 in the ranking. 

I went 14-20.

No one else has mentioned him in this thread so I'll say I think Erick All will keep any Tanners from being on the roster if everyone is healthy.

I suppose if there is an injury at WR we might put Mike G in the WR room. Then you could keep Sample, All, and a Tanner. I am assuming we don't keep 4 TEs but that's a possibility as well.

I went bottom tier. Gesicki has fallen of massively the past two years despite being healthy. Sample is a good blocker and that's it. Hudson has bounced around PS's for years and gives you nothing as a blocker. All and McLaughlin are Day 3 picks coming off injury.

I voted bottom tier because I'm uncertain how the collective group will perform this upcoming season.

I have them in the muddle right at 20... And even that hinges on Gesicki being decent.

(07-01-2024, 04:53 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: We need to see the Miami version of Gesicki in order to not be a bottom tier group. Went with 21-26, as he’s at least probably the most talented TE Burrow has had to date.

This is where I'm at too.

I want to believe Gesicki will be the best receiving TE the Bengals have had with Burrow.
But after not even hitting 400 yards each of the past two years, I am worried he'll be more like a Uzomah (who was solid but not higher).
Tanner Hudson was my guy last year, but he'll have competition with both All and McLachlan added.
He'll be competing for that TE3 spot, as Gesicki and Sample are locks for the roster, IMO.
All has been plagued so much by injury in his college career, it's tampering my excitement for him. But if you look at his last year's stats, he performed like a good Iowa TE, putting up 299 yards at 14.2 YPR and 3 TDs across just 7 games.
I'm hoping All will turn into at least a Noah Fant caliber guy, someone who can consistently put up 400-600 yards a season, but the injuries need to stay away for him.
McLachlan has potential too as a sleeper. He was a strong receiver in college and might end up snagging that last TE spot, especially if All starts the season on PUP/IR.

But since there are so many unknowns for the rookies and the veterans are who they are at this point, I can't predict higher without homer feelings.

I put them 19/20ish: Sample is a top 3 blocking TE in the league (if not the best) and our fringe receiving TE (Hudson) had a not bad year last year, thus they are below average, with the potential to be middle of the pack to above average, if the receivers play like we hope.

(07-02-2024, 10:12 AM)ochocincos Wrote: This is where I'm at too.

I want to believe Gesicki will be the best receiving TE the Bengals have had with Burrow.
But after not even hitting 400 yards each of the past two years, I am worried he'll be more like a Uzomah (who was solid but not higher).

It all depends upon how much they use him. His numbers in Miami were pretty consistent production wise, until they quit throwing the ball to him. After Miami had the Hill/Waddle combo at WR, that is where the bulk of their targets went. I can't really hold Gesicki responsible for last year's numbers in NE, their offense was a complete wreck that struggled to even score points in many games.

I went 21 - 26 range.

Tight End usage could push that up into the top 10-15 or down into the lower 20s. I think the Bengals will utilize the TE spot a lot more this season and moving forward further into the future. Even though I disliked the pick in the 4th round, I hope Erick All turns fully recovers and develops into an every down, long term TE solution.

(07-02-2024, 10:49 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It all depends upon how much they use him. His numbers in Miami were pretty consistent production wise, until they quit throwing the ball to him. After Miami had the Hill/Waddle combo at WR, that is where the bulk of their targets went. I can't really hold Gesicki responsible for last year's numbers in NE, their offense was a complete wreck that struggled to even score points in many games.

His last 700 yard season in Miami, he got 112 targets, which is more than Tee has gotten in any season.  I don't personally think he was consistent considering he had 2 700+, 1 500+, 1 300+, and one 200+ season for the fins.

(07-02-2024, 10:49 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It all depends upon how much they use him. His numbers in Miami were pretty consistent production wise, until they quit throwing the ball to him. After Miami had the Hill/Waddle combo at WR, that is where the bulk of their targets went. I can't really hold Gesicki responsible for last year's numbers in NE, their offense was a complete wreck that struggled to even score points in many games.

Well yea, but if the Bengals keep the TE targets low like they had been in previous years, we likely can't expect TE production to be 600+ yards.
That was kinda my point I guess.
But yes, target volume will impact production. Great point.

(07-02-2024, 11:25 AM)Whatever Wrote: His last 700 yard season in Miami, he got 112 targets, which is more than Tee has gotten in any season.  I don't personally think he was consistent considering he had 2 700+, 1 500+, 1 300+, and one 200+ season for the fins.

His productivity in terms of yards/catch and catch percentage were consistent. What was inconsistent was the number of times he was targeted. 11.3/catch isn't fantastic by any stretch, but it's better than what we have been getting lately from our TE group.

I think the TE is just another example of how unlike the rest of the AFC North the Bengals are built. The other 3 have TE as a strength and BAL is arguably #1 and we seems to not put much stock into the position.

I voted 21-26 as we don't know how good Gesicki will be this year and our rookie TE's are currently hurt. I do think we are majorly
improved over last year when we were without a doubt probably the worst TE room before the year started. Sample was a great blocker
for us and Hudson shown promise as a pass catcher in the Zone though.

I think Gesicki could have a great year this year as a pass catcher with Burrow though, better than any TE he has had.

I really like Erick All and McLachlan but they are rookies and believe both were hurt during OTA's, I know All was and that is the only
question I have with All is the injuries and is the reason I didn't like the pick at the time. All is incredibly talented, and I really like
McLachlan as well for the future but it will take time.

I went 21-26 but I'm closer to the 26. Tons of question marks but I do like the Bengals threw a bunch of low risk new bodies in a room they don't consider as important from a team building perspective.