(Yesterday, 11:44 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Wow

That is a great value contract.

Awesome job FO

Still plenty of money left to extend Trey already in 2025 cap

Yep it's a great deal and a quality signing. I'd say it's probably my favorite signing of an outside FA this year. Close 2nd for Slaton.

Shockingly low price to sign him. Good job.

Savvy move by the organization. All for it!

"Hopefully I can earn his (Joe's) trust and earn the team's trust and do some great things out there."

Noah Fant spoke with the media ahead of tonight's practice and is looking forward to working with Joe Burrow and being a part of this #Bengals offense. pic.twitter.com/yqgjOUehvD

— Regan Holgate (@HolgateRegan) August 2, 2025

(Yesterday, 03:44 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Yep it's a great deal and a quality signing. I'd say it's probably my favorite signing of an outside FA this year. Close 2nd for Slaton.

Me, too. Those 2 plus Patrick and Burks are the outside FA's who will see the most snaps. And the only ones who could start. Slaton will for sure, but he will be a 2 down guy often times. Knight might be the same. I could see more of Burks/Carter on 3rd. Or another DB. Perine at RB2 if he beats Brooks out. 

I think Fant will be the "starter" at TE, or at least the guy who gets the most snaps. 

(Yesterday, 05:55 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Me, too. Those 2 plus Patrick and Burks are the outside FA's who will see the most snaps. And the only ones who could start. Slaton will for sure, but he will be a 2 down guy often times. Knight might be the same. I could see more of Burks/Carter on 3rd. Or another DB. Perine at RB2 if he beats Brooks out. 

I think Fant will be the "starter" at TE, or at least the guy who gets the most snaps. 

Well...don't be surprised if they work Fant into more snaps as the season goes on. I have a hard time believing they'll put him in front of Sample--be nice if they did--from the get go. That's not how they usually do things...but i guess we'll see. 

(Yesterday, 02:54 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Surprised the Fins didn't offer Noah more than that. Great value for us and he is younger than Mike.

We will see how they do this year, I would like Noah for more than just one year, I don't think he has sniffed his potential in the NFL.

Love those Iowa TE's, they know how to play football and Noah Fant is an athlete.

Im guessing our offer wasn't beaten by enough and he chose to bet on himself this year. We've gotten TEs paid recently so its a smart bet in that regard. 

The more I think about Fant being signed, the more optimistic I am our offense will take a nice step forward. He has the ability to impact more than the pssing game (Gesicki) and he being paired with Gesicki is a night and day difference then Gesiki with Sample. He also has taken snaps in the backfield so on emore blocker for Burrow if they are in maximum protectiion.

Our OL needs to step and be better, but I would argue so do our TE's and RB's in pass protection. I am very optimistic for our offense. If Yoshi and or Burton take huge steps, this offense can be scary good in 2025.

(42 minutes ago)Luvnit2 Wrote: The more I think about Fant being signed, the more optimistic I am our offense will take a nice step forward. He has the ability to impact more than the pssing game (Gesicki) and he being paired with Gesicki is a night and day difference then Gesiki with Sample. He also has taken snaps in the backfield so on emore blocker for Burrow if they are in maximum protectiion.

Our OL needs to step and be better, but I would argue so do our TE's and RB's in pass protection. I am very optimistic for our offense. If Yoshi and or Burton take huge steps, this offense can be scary good in 2025.

Drew Sample will likely still see the majority of the snaps by a small percentage. I expect a heavy rotation between Sample, Fant, and Gesicki similar to what we seen with Sample, All, and Gesicki.

(38 minutes ago)Synric Wrote: Drew Sample will likely still see the majority of the snaps by a small percentage. I expect a heavy rotation between Sample, Fant, and Gesicki similar to what we seen with Sample, All, and Gesicki.

If you are correct, then they should stay fresh and be strong in 4th quarter when defenses are tiring. I was not saying Sample would be benched for Fant. I also see Fant and Sample on the field together which makes Fant an option to block or not be tied down blocking,

He looked noticeably bigger and faster than all of our TEs running up the seams at the stadium practice