Last season, tight end C.J. Uzomah established career highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Everyone thought that they would have their guy at the position moving forward.
However, he signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the New York Jets.
It could be said that the writing was on the wall because the Bengals are already saving cap space for the impending contract extensions of quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
With Uzomah gone, the Bengals are left with Hayden Hurst, Drew Sample, and Mitchell Wilcox at tight end.
Hurst, the projected starter among the bunch, had 221 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Sample had 81 yards on 11 receptions, while Wilcox is widely used in special teams.
But the Bengals are not yet settled with that rotation because they might bring in O.J. Howard.
If he does sign with the squad, USA Today’s Kelsey Conway said that the team’s fanbase should have limited expectations from him.
Bengals fans, temper your expectations of OJ Howard if the team signs him today. It is very notable that the #Bills cut him after guaranteeing him $ 3 mil.
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) August 31, 2022
Conway tweeted, “Bengals fans, temper your expectations of OJ Howard if the team signs him today. It is very notable that the #Bills cut him after guaranteeing him $ 3 mil.”
The Bills thought that Howard wouldn’t be a loss, making him a casualty of roster cutdown day.
They will have Dawson Knox, Tommy Sweeney, and Quintin Morris with him out for the 2022 season.
Diminishing Production
Howard did win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020 season.
However, he only played four games and had 146 receiving yards to go with two touchdowns.
The following year, the Alabama alumnus was able to play 17 games but ended up with only 135 yards and a touchdown.
Those numbers are a far cry from his best season, wherein he had 565 yards and five touchdowns in 2018.
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