Bengals place WR Auden Tate on IR, activate G Xavier Su’a-Filo
The Bengals wide receiver depth took a hit when it was announced Auden Tate was put on the injured reserve list while the offensive line added depth with the activation of guard Xavier Su’a-Filo.
Bengals wide receiver Auden Tate is out for the season with a shoulder injured and he was placed on the injured reserve list on Wednesday. Tate has been valuable to the Bengals this season as the fourth WR adding depth. In nine games played in 2020, Tate had 14 receptions for 150 yards without a touchdown.
Tate had a breakout season in his second year in the NFL in 2019 with 40 receptions for 575 yards and one TD filling in for A.J. Green who missed the entire 2019 season. Tate was surpassed on the depth chart in 2020 by rookie Tee Higgins out of Clemson. Tate played against Higgins in college while at Florida State.
The return of Xavier Su’a Filo on the Bengals offense line is a huge boost. Cincinnati is 31st in the NFL allowing three sacks per game. Su’a Filo signed a three-year $10 million contract in the offseason after playing the last two years in Dallas. Su’a-Filo has been out since injuring his ankle in the season opener against the Chargers.
Alex Redmond in his third-year out of UCLA replaced Su’a-Filo in the starting lineup since September. Tate is listed on the depth chart behind Green who has had a mediocre season returning from the serious ankle injury. The Bengals are thin at WR. Mike Thomas could receive a high percentage of Tate’s snaps.
Thomas has received 15.84 percent of the offensive snaps this season and tate 13.98. Thomas has 13 receptions for 132 yards and one TD this season. With Joe Mixon out at running back and the Bengals without quarterback Joe Burrow for the rest of 2020, the skill positions on the Cincinnati offense have been devastated.
dark. Next. Bengals Dolphins battle of backups instead of Burrow Tua rematch
Getting a look at some of the young players with veterans playing for next season would be the prudent thing for Zac Taylor and the Bengals to do on offense. Su’a-Filo has a cap hit over $3 million the next two seasons. The likelihood is that Cincinnati will bring Su’a Filo back for at least the 2021 season.