Tight end is a position that the Bengals have somewhat overlooked in recent seasons. Mainly because of their over-reliance on wide receiver talent, the need for impactful tight ends hasn't fit into Zac Taylor's offense.
However, Mike Gesicki showed last season that he can be a valuable pass-catcher, and he may get even more of a role this year.
NFL teams are using two-tight-end sets more and more, and according to Opta Analyst, the league saw over a 2.4% increase in two and three-tight-end sets between 2024 and 2025. Furthermore, the average offensive success rate on those plays increased by 1.9%.
Erik All Jr. is set to return from his injury
Erick All Jr. played just half a season in 2024, before suffering a major ACL injury. He hasn't featured ever since. However, he is starting to ramp up his workload in practice, and sooner rather than later, we will see him back in full flow again.
Based on the recent NFL trend towards two tight end sets, it will be All Jr who benefits most from this, as he is the second option at TE behind Gesicki. The 25-year-old said in an interview with Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson that he feels back to his best ahead of the new season.
"It feels completely stable. It feels like a normal knee. I can plant on it really good. I can bend it really good. Everything is completely different, and that gets me hyped up. This is the best I've felt (in the pros). I feel like my old self."
Zac Taylor needs to use Erick All Jr. more to avoid falling behind
The recent shift to more regular two-tight-end sets in the NFL is clearly delivering results, yet it is something that Zac Taylor has refused to make the most of in past seasons. However, now that All Jr is back and ready to go, the Bengals head coach has no choice but to give him a chance, especially if he doesn't want to fall behind other teams.
Taylor is very high on All Jr, and said in a recent press conference that his attitude is up there with the best.
"The word physical in the dictionary is a picture of Erick All. He's got an attitude that you just love. He loves football, that's really clear. He's passionate about it. To be able to get him back out there working with the guys has been big for all of us."
It seems as though All Jr is up for an increased role in Taylor's offense this season, not just because of his talent and his profile, but also the trend towards double tight end sets in the NFL. He'll hope to push Gesicki for the starting job come the end of the year.
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