The Cincinnati Bengals have an elite offense by every single metric. That is, when Joe Burrow is healthy. They were the No. 12 ranked scoring offense last season despite Joe Flacco and Jake Browning starting over half the season. Once Burrow returned, the offense was among the best in the league.
Going into the 2026 season, the Bengals have rare continuity on that side of the ball. All 11 starters return for the Bengals, including their head coach and offensive coordinator.
There are also several key backups returning for another season, such as Charlie Jones, Drew Sample, and Samaje Perine. But one returning backup could drastically improve this offense in 2026, and that is none other than Erick All.
All could change offense for the better for the Bengals
In a recent article by ESPN, several of their national analysts decided to rank all 32 rosters heading into training camp. Not surprisingly, the Bengals were in the middle of the pack, coming in at No. 15. The defense is the reason why the unit isn’t ranked higher, but the Bengals did use a considerable number of resources to try to fix the group this offseason.
One player who caught the eye of Aaron Schatz was Erick All, a third-year tight end from Iowa who did not play a snap last season. And yet, Schatz believes he could be a difference-maker for the Bengals in 2026. Here is a snippet of what Schatz and ESPN had to say about the former Big Ten star:
“Drew Sample is primarily a blocker, and Mike Gesicki is basically a big slot receiver, but All gives the Bengals a tight end who can block and catch. His problem is injuries. All dealt with back injuries at Michigan, tore his right ACL after transferring to Iowa in 2023, then tore the same ligament again against the Raiders in November 2024 and missed all of last season. But All is healthy and fully participated in OTAs. He caught 20 passes out of 22 targets as a rookie for 158 yards before that ACL tear.”
The Bengals know what to expect from Sample and Gesicki at this stage of their careers and the offense can certainly thrive with them on the field. But All is the most well-rounded tight end on the roster and can be a plus-blocker in the run game.
Cincinnati isn’t known for having a dominant rushing attack, but Chase Brown has been efficient over the last few years. His success rate of 52.3% over the last two seasons ranks ninth among 30 qualifying running backs, according to Pro Football Reference. However, the Bengals are hoping that they can improve even further in this area in 2026.
An easy way to fix that is by using more two tight end sets or using All as the only tight end in 11 personnel. With defenses focusing so much attention on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, having a reliable weapon at tight end could really help the offense.
But the real value will come when they are in 11 personnel and the six blockers up front can dominate light boxes. All has shown that type of ability in the past and he could be the key to unlocking the run game in Cincinnati.
Surely, the Bengals are going to want to ease All into the lineup given his history of knee injuries. And it would be a surprise if he were a full-time player in 2026, especially considering that Sample and Gesicki are useful players.
However, All is the type of player who can transform this offense, should he stay healthy. Considering how well he’s impressed teammates in offseason workouts, it sure seems like 2026 could be his breakout season. And that would be huge news for the Bengals, who are trying to get back into the AFC race .
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