Cincinnati Bengals: 5 free agents who would instantly improve the roster

Free Agents Bengals Should Sign – No. 4: Jesse James

The Bengals should have drafted a tight end with one of their 10 draft picks, but they didn’t, so now they’ll be rolling with Drew Sample and C.J. Uzomah as their No. 1 and No. 2 options at the position. Sample showed potential in year two but received more opportunities due to the injury to Uzomah that sidelined him for most of the year.

The best tight end free agent available is Jesse James, who is most known for his Steelers tenure but spent the last two years in Detroit with the Lions. James isn’t a rockstar by any means, but he’s an experienced veteran at a position of need for Cincinnati.

James’ best season was in 2018 when he had 30 receptions for 423 yards and two touchdowns. That performance helped him land a deal with the Lions where he went on to disappoint, totaling just 30 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns (his numbers from 2018 were better than his two years in Detroit).

If James joined the Bengals, he wouldn’t unseat Sample as the starter but he’d be a nice TE2/3 option for a team needing depth at the position. This signing wouldn’t make fans jump for joy but it’d make a lot of sense.