I think the Bengals should consider carrying 4 tight ends on the roster, as it would give them more flexibility when any one of them gets injured. We could probably cut back one receiver (from 6 to 5) or QB (rather than carry 3) to accomplish this.

(01-06-2017, 09:22 AM)Au165 Wrote: If I was ranking needs TE would be somewhere around the 8t/9thh most pressing need i.e. not going to be addressed in the draft. We have a whole stable of young guys plus Ryan Hewitt who can swing out and play TE. We have more pressing needs than using a pick on a TE. All the best TE's in the league get hurt, that has just kind of become the norm so we need to accept it.

I agree, TE is not really a need. It sucks that Eifert is always hurt, but that's the risk with TEs. It was just unfortunate that Kroft was hurt a lot too.
For those dissing Uzomah, he was drafted as a project. He didn't even have a TE coach at Auburn. He sat with the OL coach for blocking and WR coach for receiving. He has the potential to be that second pass-catching TE and he's come along decently well so far given he was a project expected to be TE3.

Between Eifert, Kroft, Uzomah, and Hewitt on the roster, I don't really see a spot for a TE this year.
However, if the team did want to pick up a TE, Jeremy Sprinkle is a well-rounded TE that should be available in Rd 4 or later. There are also decent vet TEs hitting FA that won't wow anyone but could be had for cheap if the team deemed it necessary to get another.

I wouldnt say a safety net at TE for Eifert. But I am all for getting a red zone target safety net though whether it's tight end or receiver.

(01-05-2017, 11:29 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: Obviously he's a top 3 TE when healthy but if we are going to keep him around I think we need a 2nd capable TE much like Martelus Bennet for the Pats. I'm not convinced Kroft or Uzomah are can play that role.

Definately should draft a TE in this draft just in case. Very deep TE class.

(01-06-2017, 04:00 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Definately should draft a TE in this draft just in case. Very deep TE class.

That is my thinking. 

Good chance a TE is the best available player at some point. 


If we dont get one that is fine. But this class is pretty solid at TE. So we should be prepared to take one.

(01-06-2017, 04:09 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: That is my thinking. 

Good chance a TE is the best available player at some point. 


If we dont get one that is fine. But this class is pretty solid at TE. So we should be prepared to take one.

Not early of course. Kind of like last year for DT, never thought Billings would fall to us in the 4th.

We could probably get a TE with more talent than Kroft in the 5th round this year.

(01-06-2017, 01:30 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 10 games, 8 starts
25 catches/234 yards (9.4 AVG)/1 TD
A lot of drops.

That's his second year in the NFL. I give him a big 'ol meh.

Not claiming that's great production, but it projects to 50-468-2, which sounds an awful lot like Gresham.

So why do people want Gresh back again?

(01-06-2017, 09:16 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I said in another thread that the Bengals next TE needs to have a bit more TE and a bit less WR in him.  Not everyone is going to be Gronk, that is the best at both, but the Bengals have three that all struggle in blocking.  Jake Butt is supposed to be a very complete TE.  Fits our team perfectly because you could probably get him for a later pick, put him on IR, and have him ready for next year.  

If he goes on IR, you don't have to make a decision on Kroft, Uzo, or Eifert because with Hewitt just re-signed, they would likely have to let one go but at least this way they have a year to work on that.  Maybe Eifert gets the franchise tag?  Replace him with Butt a year later?

Then you have yet another situation where you get no production from your first round draft pick in year one.  We'll all hear how he is "really a rookie" in year two because of not playing the first year, then it is year three or four before they know what they have.  Sorry, but I think this team has done way too much of this and it has finally caught up with them.

(01-06-2017, 04:28 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Not claiming that's great production, but it projects to 50-468-2, which sounds an awful lot like Gresham.

So why do people want Gresh back again?

Gresham's second year in the NFL, he put up 56/596/6 in 14 games, and Dalton wasn't as good then as he is now.

Plus Gresh has (or at least had, don't watch Cardinal games) better hands and blocking.

Just seems silly that Gresh got roasted for being better at almost everything while Uzomah is getting praised.

Don't want him back now, but he was still a lot better for the Bengals than people recall, yet never got a tenth the love people gave Uzomah/Kroft/Coffman/etc.

(01-05-2017, 11:29 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: Obviously he's a top 3 TE when healthy but if we are going to keep him around I think we need a 2nd capable TE much like Martelus Bennet for the Pats. I'm not convinced Kroft or Uzomah are can play that role.

If you are asking if we should draft a TE early, I would say heck no, using heck instead of the H word I first thought.....We have used a lot of recent drafts on CB for Joseph, Hall, Kirkpatrick, Dennard, Jackson and TE in Gresham and Eifert. ...Looking at the first round there are linebackers this year that have not been there in recent drafts.  We have needed to draft a linebacker and now, this year, Alabama has not one but two good ones experts have as early first round.  We need to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get a quality linebacker, this draft while there are a couple. ........I would hope Eifert isn't that fragile of a TE. Look, even Gronk had injuries at TE of late. I thought Uzomah filled in well. It's not his fault Nugent became so awful. ..........I say no top round CB or TE because we have overlooked other positions in recent drafts.  Mostly linebacker.  You have to go back a ways to Rivers and Maualuga and it shows on the field.  Harrison, Hawk and Dansby were old player band aids due to lack of draft talent at linebacker.  This year when there is top talent, we dare not blow it by passing on linebacker. We also need O line help, but I'm thinking second round there. 

(01-06-2017, 06:31 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Gresham's second year in the NFL, he put up 56/596/6 in 14 games, and Dalton wasn't as good then as he is now.

Plus Gresh has (or at least had, don't watch Cardinal games) better hands and blocking.

Just seems silly that Gresh got roasted for being better at almost everything while Uzomah is getting praised.

Don't want him back now, but he was still a lot better for the Bengals than people recall, yet never got a tenth the love people gave Uzomah/Kroft/Coffman/etc.

I don't know about others but i gave Gresh a lot more love than any of those guys.

It was just time to move on when we did.

(01-06-2017, 06:56 PM)kevin Wrote: If you are asking if we should draft a TE early, I would say heck no, using heck instead of the H word I first thought.....We have used a lot of recent drafts on CB for Joseph, Hall, Kirkpatrick, Dennard, Jackson and TE in Gresham and Eifert. ...Looking at the first round there are linebackers this year that have not been there in recent drafts.  We have needed to draft a linebacker and now, this year, Alabama has not one but two good ones experts have as early first round.  We need to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get a quality linebacker, this draft while there are a couple. ........I would hope Eifert isn't that fragile of a TE. Look, even Gronk had injuries at TE of late. I thought Uzomah filled in well. It's not his fault Nugent became so awful. ..........I say no top round CB or TE because we have overlooked other positions in recent drafts.  Mostly linebacker.  You have to go back a ways to Rivers and Maualuga and it shows on the field.  Harrison, Hawk and Dansby were old player band aids due to lack of draft talent at linebacker.  This year when there is top talent, we dare not blow it by passing on linebacker. We also need O line help, but I'm thinking second round there. 

Okay after trying to decipher this wall of posts with lots of random periods in it this is what I got.

Why are we comparing CBs to TEs? 5 CBs in Marvins tenure compared to 2 isn't comparable.

Both Gronk and Eifert are fragile and that's why they brought in Bennet. If it's good enough for the Pats I think it would be a good idea here too.

Uzomah drops too many passes. Maybe he will get better but we saw what it was like without Eifert and it wasn't pretty. I'm not sure how Nugent fits into the equation but sure go blame him for Uzomah's stone hands.

Drafting Rivers didn't help our linebackers and Maulauga has been a mere role player for the team. So those aren't shining examples on why we need to take a linebacker that early in the draft.

You know we actually can use 2 TEs at the same time right? Considering how bad we were in the redzone this year that would be a great help for us.

(01-06-2017, 08:03 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: Okay after trying to decipher this wall of posts with lots of random periods in it this is what I got.

Why are we comparing CBs to TEs? 5 CBs in Marvins tenure compared to 2 isn't comparable.

Both Gronk and Eifert are fragile and that's why they brought in Bennet. If it's good enough for the Pats I think it would be a good idea here too.

Uzomah drops too many passes. Maybe he will get better but we saw what it was like without Eifert and it wasn't pretty. I'm not sure how Nugent fits into the equation but sure go blame him for Uzomah's stone hands.

Drafting Rivers didn't help our linebackers and Maulauga has been a mere role player for the team. So those aren't shining examples on why we need to take a linebacker that early in the draft.

You know we actually can use 2 TEs at the same time right? Considering how bad we were in the redzone this year that would be a great help for us.

Nice decypherin'.

(01-06-2017, 06:31 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Gresham's second year in the NFL, he put up 56/596/6 in 14 games, and Dalton wasn't as good then as he is now.

Plus Gresh has (or at least had, don't watch Cardinal games) better hands and blocking.

Just seems silly that Gresh got roasted for being better at almost everything while Uzomah is getting praised.

Don't want him back now, but he was still a lot better for the Bengals than people recall, yet never got a tenth the love people gave Uzomah/Kroft/Coffman/etc.

1. I'm not really comparing Uzomah to young Gresham, I'm comparing him to what he is now...because there's a small group of people here who seem to think Gresh would be a significant upgrade. Not only do I not think that's the case, I also see Uzomah as a young player who will only get better.

2. I think Uzomah is just fine as a blocker and he really didn't drop that many passes. It actually took time for Gresh to become the blocker he's been over the last few years. Over his first few seasons, PFF graded him among the worst blockers in the NFL. Point being, Uzomah is solid now and should only get better.


I'm not saying Uzomah is all that...but we could certainly do worse at #2 TE than a young athletic guy who has produced decently and has some upside for the future.

(01-06-2017, 08:03 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: Okay after trying to decipher this wall of posts with lots of random periods in it this is what I got.

Why are we comparing CBs to TEs? 5 CBs in Marvins tenure compared to 2 isn't comparable.

Both Gronk and Eifert are fragile and that's why they brought in Bennet. If it's good enough for the Pats I think it would be a good idea here too.

Uzomah drops too many passes. Maybe he will get better but we saw what it was like without Eifert and it wasn't pretty. I'm not sure how Nugent fits into the equation but sure go blame him for Uzomah's stone hands.

Drafting Rivers didn't help our linebackers and Maulauga has been a mere role player for the team. So those aren't shining examples on why we need to take a linebacker that early in the draft.

You know we actually can use 2 TEs at the same time right? Considering how bad we were in the redzone this year that would be a great help for us.

1 drop doesn't = stonehands.

Yet another stupid narrative, drop this shit.

(01-06-2017, 11:07 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: 1 drop doesn't = stonehands.

Yet another stupid narrative, drop this shit.

Go ahead and say it like you have some authority.


Anything else mister boss man?

(01-06-2017, 09:06 AM)Sled21 Wrote: And...in the 3rd or 4th round, I give you Cole Hikutini.......

In 95% of those highlights he didn't have anyone within 5 yds of him when he made the catch. On top of that, I didn't see him break one tackle. He went down with first contact virtually every time. He won't get that wide open in the NFL, and the players hit alot harder.

(01-06-2017, 06:25 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: Then you have yet another situation where you get no production from your first round draft pick in year one.  We'll all hear how he is "really a rookie" in year two because of not playing the first year, then it is year three or four before they know what they have.  Sorry, but I think this team has done way too much of this and it has finally caught up with them.

But, Butt (sorry, couldn't resist) is a strong blocker, and that is where most of the Bengals TEs needed to be brought up to snuff, so it is a little bit different scenario.  

While I am totally on board with drafting a TE, there are so many good ones in this draft class, we don't need to spend a high pick to find one that would be a perfect fit. I'm liking Michael Roberts from Toledo, in the 5th round. Don't know him? Look him up.

Also, people want to be critical of Uzomah, and I'm one of them. However, claiming that he has a problem with drops, is completely unfounded. He was credited with exactly one drop, in 38 targets, for a drop rate of 2.6%

https://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/drops/2016/

(01-07-2017, 12:22 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: While I am totally on board with drafting a TE, there are so many good ones in this draft class, we don't need to spend a high pick to find one that would be a perfect fit.  I'm liking Michael Roberts from Toledo, in the 5th round.  Don't know him?  Look him up.

Also, people want to be critical of Uzomah, and I'm one of them.  However, claiming that he has a problem with drops, is completely unfounded.  He was credited with exactly one drop, in 38 targets, for a drop rate of 2.6%

https://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/drops/2016/

I am liking Roberts more than Hikutini after that bowl game where he did nothing.

Sometimes i think if one guy says a guy has the dropsies people just run with it unfortunately. Thanks for the info on Uzi.