3 former Cincinnati Bengals players we’d like to see return in 2024
![Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah (87) prior to the Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah (87) prior to the](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5116,h_2877,x_0,y_163/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/59/01hrb7ezsxm0mtgb5dm6.jpg)
Sometimes couples break up and then eventually get back together. The exact same thing can happen in the NFL, with teams and players parting ways only to end up reuniting somewhere down the road. Those reunions work out well sometimes, and not so well at other times.
This offseason, there are a few former Cincinnati Bengals available on the open market, and that got us thinking: Which former Bengals would we like to see return for the 2024 season? So, with that in mind, here's a look at three familiar faces we would like to see back in the black-and-orange.
C.J. Uzomah, Tight End
Tight end is a major position of need for the Bengals this offseason, and there happens to be a pair of former Bengals tight ends available on the market.
After spending the first seven seasons of his career in Cincinnati and establishing himself as a fan favorite, C.J. Uzomah spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets. However, the Jets waived the veteran tight end earlier this week, paving a path for him to potentially rejoin the Bengals.
During his two seasons with the Jets, Uzomah caught a total of 29 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns.
Uzomah has already written his name all over Cincinnati's history books. He's fifth in franchise history with 507 receptions, and sixth in receiving touchdowns with 37. He's also ninth in franchise history in total receiving yards with 5,782. If he returned to Cincinnati he could continue to climb those lists.
Uzomah started 16 games for the Bengals in 2021 when they made a run all the way to the Super Bowl, and he became a top target of quarterback Joe Burrow in the process. That season Uzomah had 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 15 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown across four playoff games.
It's fair to wonder how much Uzomah has left in the tank at this point in his career, but the Bengals could definitely use a veteran tight end, and adding one that already happens to be a fan favorite would be a bonus.