Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Mitchell Wilcox in 2023

Mitchell Wilcox first joined the Cincinnati Bengals in September 2020. It wasn't until the 2021 season that he finally saw the field during the regular season.

During that 2021 season, Wilcox appeared in 57% of special teams snaps in 15 games and just 9% of offensive snaps. He was more active on offense in 2022, appearing in 45% of snaps and was still a solid presence on special teams with a snap count of 56%.

People might most remember Wilcox for having to step in and take over long snapping duties in the 2022 season opener. That might not have gone well for him but he was a pretty solid contributor when called upon, finishing with 17 catches (off of 18 targets) for 139 yards and one touchdown. He stepped up when Hayden Hurst went down and is a nice player on the special teams side of things.

What's next for Wilcox as he enters the 2023 season?

What should Bengals fans expect from Mitchell Wilcox in 2023?

It took the Bengals a bit to re-sign Wilcox in free agency but he rejoined the team in late July and was put on the PUP list. On Monday, Wilcox returned to practice and now he could end up being a bigger factor for the team in 2023.

With Wilcox firmly back at practice, it's a safe assumption that he wins the third string tight end job. This would bump Devin Asiasi from the TE3 spot to the practice squad.

Wilcox has proven himself to be a nice player for the Bengals and with Irv Smith Jr. and Drew Sample likely winning the first two jobs, it makes more sense to keep Wilcox over Asiasi. Hopefully, the young tight end can continue to be a nice depth piece for the Cincinnati Bengals as he enters his fourth year with the team.