Pro Football Focus projects Bengals signing free agent TE Gerald Evertt

Needing an upgrade at tight end, Pro Football Focus projects the Bengals to sign Los Angeles Rams TE Gerald Everett. Everett has been a solid but not spectacular TE. In four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams Everett has 127 receptions for 1,389 yards and eight touchdowns. Everett would a complementary player.

Everett had 41 receptions for 417 yards and one TD in 2020. PFF likes the upside Everett has. In three of his final four games of the 2020 season. Everett played as many as 70 percent of the Rams snaps on offense in only three games in 2020. Drew Sample posted similar numbers to Everett in his second season.

Sample led Bengals TEs with 40 receptions for 349 yards and two TDs in 2019. Sample played in at least 72 percent of the offensive snaps for Cincinnati over the final 14 games. Everett was nearly as productive as Sample in far fewer snaps per game. The Bengals could sign a TE in free agency and add another through the draft.

There has been some talk the Bengals could draft Florida TE Kyle Pitts. Pitts had 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 TDs in eight games in 2020. Four of the top 82 players in the 2021 NFL Draft are TEs. If the Bengals choose to wait they will be able to take a TE in the second or third round of the draft.

"8. TE GERALD EVERETTGerald Everett is an athletic move tight end who has taken advantage of his role within the Rams’ offense to put up some solid numbers in a limited workload. He has averaged more than 5.0 yards after the catch in his career and broken 30 tackles on 130 catches in his career.Given his age and upside, as well as his relatively small workload throughout his NFL career, he could be an intriguing option for a team looking to get more athletic at the position and expand its passing game options.Contract Analysis: The Rams extended tight end Tyler Higbee in 2019 before extending both Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods this past offseason. Whatever Everett signs for, it’s doubtful the Rams will be the team that offers it.Prediction: Bengals sign Everett for three years, $15 million ($5M APY)."

Drafting Pitts with the fifth pick would be risky. Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Darren Waller of Las Vegas Raiders were the only elite receiving TEs in 2020. Kelce and Waller were the only TEs to finish in the top 30 in receptions and top 50 in receiving yards in 2020.

Everett finished 100th in the NFL in receptions in 2020 and 111th in receiving yards in 2020. The Bengals would be wise to sign Everett and use the money elsewhere in free agency. Among the top 100 2020 free agents, PFF projects Cincinnati to sign Everett and New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton.

Newton would be projected as the backup to Bengals franchise QB Joe Burrow. The priority for the Bengals through free agency and the draft on offense is to get help for Burrow on the offensive line and more playmakers. Everett can be signed at a reasonable price with the opportunity to develop into a reliable part of the offense.