The Cincinnati Bengals drew rave reviews from the greater NFL Draft community for selecting Texas tight end Jack Endries in the seventh round. Many believed he'd hear his name called far sooner, and now, the Bengals suddenly have an awesome sleeper in the mix at a rather dubious position group.
Endries was fired up about being passed over so many times by every team in the league. He played with the likes of Fernando Mendoza at California before transferring to Austin last year to catch passes from Arch Manning.
Now, Endries will eventually be on the receiving end of throws from Cincinnati superstar Joe Burrow if all goes according to plan. And there's reason to believe that combination could start connecting sooner rather than later despite Endries' humble draft status.
Bengals' niche TE room could create opening for Endries
If you really sit back and think about what's what and who's who in the Bengals' tight end group, there aren't many all-around solid players. My nickname for Mike Gesicki that will definitely catch on is "TINO", as in, "Tight End In Name Only." Because Gesicki plays the vast majority of his snaps as a slot receiver, as opposed to an inline tight end.
Tanner Hudson is a pass-catching specialist in his own right who had 39 receptions in 2023. A dynamic blocker he is not, though.
Then there's Erick All Jr., who Burrow had a lot of good things to say about after the Bengals' first open practice of training camp (h/t Chatterbox Sports):
"It's great to have him back. Obviously, he had a lot going on with his knee, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. He looks good. He looks fit, fast, explosive...so he'll play a big role for us this year."
All missed a good chunk of his rookie season and all of last year due to a torn ACL. He had complications from his initial surgery and required multiple procedures to get it right. As exciting of a player as All is, can Cincinnati really count on him in 2026? It remains to be seen.
Last but not least: Bengals 2019 second-round pick Drew Sample. He is literally only on the team because a) the front office can't accept the fact that he wasn't a good draft pick; and b) he's by far the best blocker Cincinnati has at the position.
Almost by sheer process of elimination, Endries isn't exactly facing a talent pool of world beaters in his quest to climb the depth chart. He scored a strong pre-draft Relative Athletic Score of 8.87 out of 10, bolstered by an elite 4.62 40-yard dash. Endries is strong at the catch point and appears savvy at feeling out spots in zones.
When Texas wasn't spamming perimeter screens and RPOs, a lot more of their playbook from Steve Sarkisian featured pro-style concepts. That should flatten Endries' NFL learning curve.
Plus, having been under the intense Arch-adjacent spotlight, it's not like Endries is fazed by playing with a big-name QB like Burrow. In fact, he seems to relish those opportunities.
Let's make note of Endries' solid college production, too. In his two years of action at Cal, he logged 91 receptions for 1,030 yards and four TDs. Last season with the Longhorns, Endries had 33 catches for 346 yards and three scores, but also registered a stellar 66.6 PFF run blocking grade.
As Locked On Bengals podcaster Jake Liscow astutely observed from Wednesday's training camp practice, the first play Cincinnati's offense ran was under center in 12 personnel. That's one back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers.
If the Bengals do indeed evolve the offense to go with more 12 personnel packages, that only enhances Endries' chances to see the field. Like I said, Gesicki is a glorified No. 3 receiver, so whether All stays healthy or not, if Endries starts showing out in training camp practices, the coaching staff will have no choice but to steadily promote him.
I have a feeling Endires is going to surprise some people. We'll see if the coaches' loyalty to Sample or conservative preference to lean on his experience get in Endries' way. In any case, do not sleep on him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google