One awful play ruined Bengals free agent's chances to return next year

The Cincinnati Bengals have some tough decisions to make in free agency this offseason, but one just got a lot easier.

Noah Fant was believed to be a good late addition to the roster before the season began. However, the former first-round pick seemingly can't hold onto the football to an uncanny degree.

Sometimes the new calendar year can be a time to bring about new habits. Apparently the carryover of Fant's ball-carrying issue was not left in 2025. He coughed the ball up again on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, leading to the Paycor Stadium visitors' second consecutive defensive TD.

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Bengals pending free agent tight end Noah Fant coughs up 3rd fumble scoop-and-score of the season

Joe Burrow did throw a pick six in the deep red zone before Fant's mishap, and in his defense, it was a heck of a play by the Browns to jar the ball loose just prior to his knee touching the turf.

Having said that, this is officially a disturbing trend that only lends credence to the theory that the Bengals are cursed, and/or Burrow just can't consistently solve the Browns' D. Some combination of those, probably.

Like come on, Noah Fant, surely you can't be serious?

Mike Gesicki was rewarded with a contract extension last offseason, only to miss most of the 2025 campaign. As long as Gesicki is healthy and ready to roll for 2025, Fant becomes expendable.

Even bringing Fant back at a bargain cost feels like a waste. Cincinnati's brass loves to pinch pennies anywhere possible. Shelling out any money for a player who literally cost the team three touchdowns the other way in a single season shouldn't even be a conversation.

Granted, it's not like the Bengals have a bunch of world beaters at tight end.

They lit a draft pick on fire with Tanner McLachlan (remember him?). The rest of the depth chart consists of walking medical red flag Erick All Jr., past second-round pick/Duke Tobin darling Drew Sample, the mighty-sounding-in-name-only Cam Grandy, and another free agent to-be in Tanner Hudson.

Would it kill the Bengals to look beyond team headquarters, sooner than when Fant signed on July 31, 2025, and acquire an upgrade? The procrastination to build quality roster depth will never cease to baffle me.

Changes better be on the horizon on the personnel front, because Burrow ain't going to tolerate it for more than one more playoff-less season.

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