Bengals Will Send 2018 Seventh-Rounder To Jaguars For Chris Smith Deal
- Because of the playing time that Chris Smith has received with the Bengals this season, the Jaguars will get a 2018 seventh-round pick from Cincinnati per the conditions of the trade the two clubs completed in April, as Mike Kaye of First Coast News tweets.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/27/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Tony McRae
- Released: CB Sojourn Shelton
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OL Gabe Ikard
Latest On Bengals TE Tyler Eifert
Tyler Eifert‘s season is over. But the good news is that he should be able to pick up where he left off in the spring. Doctors have told the Bengals tight end that he should be fully heathy without any further issues in the offseason, as Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. 
Eifert will become a free agent in March when his fifth-year option expires and his health will largely determine his future. When he’s on the field, Eifert is among the league’s most dangerous pass-catchers. However, he has played in just ten total games over the last two seasons. His back surgery earlier this month marked the third of his career.
Prior to his season-ending injury, Eifert had a chance at becoming the league’s highest-paid tight end in 2018, but any real chance of that is out the window. He’ll likely opt for a one-year pillow contract over a mid-range multi-year deal with the hope that he can make the big bucks in 2019. If he can get through workouts without setbacks, then he’ll make a nice chunk of change on that platform contract.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/17/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Buffalo Bills
- QB Matt Simms; DE Noble Nwachukwu; LB Boseko Lokombo (Twitter links via Adam Caplan)
Chicago Bears
- QB Alek Torgersen; WRs Jordan Payton, Kevin Snead (link)
Cincinnati Bengals
- TEs Brian Parker, Josiah Price, Steven Scheu; DBs Robert Blanton, K.J. Dillon, Harold Jones-Quartey, Robenson Therezie (Twitter links)
Denver Broncos
- WRs Devin Lucien, Tim Patrick, Domonique Young (link via Caplan)
Detroit Lions
- DE Jacquies Smith; Ks Dan Carpenter, Travis Coons (link via Caplan)
Houston Texans
- QB Taylor Heinicke (link via Caplan)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CBs Alex Carter, Deji Olatoye, D’Joun Smith (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- G Oni Omoile; T Nick Becton; DT Josh Augusta; LB Johnathan Calvin (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- DB Justin Currie (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press)
- DBs Robert Blanton, Antone Exum, Ed Reynolds, Ahmad Thomas (link via Caplan)
New Orleans Saints
- RBs Matt Asiata, Ka’Deem Carey, Dexter McCluster; WR Paul Turner; LB Bryan Braman (Twitter links via Caplan)
New York Jets
- DE Owa Odighizuwa; S Harold Jones-Quartey (link via Caplan)
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Devin Taylor (link via Caplan)
Washington Redskins
- RBs Troymaine Pope, Stanley Williams, Joseph Yearby; WRs Rashad Ross, Kendal Thompson; Gs Willie Beavers, Zach Voytek; T Storm Norton; ; LB Jayrone Elliott; CB Damian Swann; DBs Ed Reynolds, Orion Stewart, Mykkele Thompson (all Twitter links)
Bengals Extend Long Snapper Clark Harris
Cincinnati and long snapper Clark Harris have reached an agreement on a contract extension, according to an official team announcement. The new deal will extend only through 2018, with the exact dollar amount and guaranteed dollars not yet known.
While the value of Harris’ his new contract remains to be seen, the highest-paid long snapper in the NFL this year is the Giants’ Zak DeOssie, who’s current deal pays him $1.57 MM per year, while guaranteeing him $200k per season.
Harris, 33, has been with the Bengals since 2009 after being drafted by the Packers in the seventh round in 2007. He’s one of the elder statesmen in terms of age at the position, although long snappers have a tendency to play well into their 30s if they establish themselves. The current median age of long snappers in the league is about 28 years old, so there really shouldn’t be too much concern that Harris’ reliability will diminish all too much next season.
Harris’ current deal pays him $990K this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/17
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted to active roster: QB Garrett Gilbert
- Waived: DB Dezmen Southward
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted to active roster: LB Hardy Nickerson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Marcus Kemp
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Josh Keyes
- Waived: LB Nigel Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Hughes
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: LB Tyrell Adams
Bengals Work Out Four Tight Ends
With Tyler Eifert out for the season after opting to undergo back surgery last week, the Bengals got an up close look at a number of free agent tight ends today.
Cincinnati worked out veterans Larry Donnell, Jace Amaro, Gavin Escobar and John Phillips, tweets Adam Caplan of Sirius XM.
None of these options are particularly intriguing given the overall lack of production across the board, but it does show a pointed attempt to address a position that’s very much in flux with Eifert gone for the rest of the season.
Up to this point, the team has mostly relied on Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah to take snaps in Eifert’s place. Kroft, 25, has been the more offensively productive of the two, having caught 14 balls for 139 yards and two scores, which both came in the team’s first victory of the year two weeks ago against the Browns.
The Bengals had a bye in Week 6, but will look to build on their current two-game winning streak when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the AFC North division leading Steelers this coming Sunday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Peli Anau
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Brian Hill
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Nelson Spruce
- Released: LB Jason Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DB Charlie Miller
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: LeShun Daniels
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Jalin Marshall
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Jordan Dangerfield
- Released: S Jacob Hagen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Josh Forrest
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Andreas Knappe
- Released: OL Jerry Ugokwe
Opinion: Tyler Eifert Unlikely To Break Bank
- Given his lengthy injury history, it would be “shocking” to see Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert garner a long-term contract like Zach Ertz, Travis Kelce, or Jordan Reed, all of whom earn more than $8.5MM annually, opines Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Eifert, who was placed on injured reserve on Thursday, has only appeared in 39 games over four-plus seasons in the NFL. While his talent is immense (13 touchdowns in 2015), Eifert simply can’t stay on the field, a fact which makes the franchise tag — at a cost north of $10MM — an unlikely option for Cincinnati in 2018. Instead, a one-year, “prove-it” deal for the 27-year-old pass-catcher could conceivably make more sense for both sides.
Bengals TE Tyler Eifert Done For Season
Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has decided to undergo season-ending back surgery, as first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Eifert went under the knife on Thursday for an operation that will sideline him for four-to-six months. The Bengals have officially placed Eifert on injured reserve.
Eifert, of course, is no stranger to injury, as he’s appeared in only 39 of a possible 69 games since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2013. His history of back ailments dates back to the latter part of the 2016 campaign — after missing the first seven games of last year with an ankle issue suffered in the Pro Bowl, Eifert was placed on injured reserve in December after experiencing back pain.
This latest back issue is reportedly not the same one that bothered Eifert near the tail end of last season, but it will likely affect contractual negotiations with the Bengals nonetheless. Scheduled to become a free agent next spring when his fifth-year option expires, Eifert will now hit the open market amidst a sea of health questions. A long-term deal is still possible, but it seems incredibly unlikely that Cincinnati would now deploy the franchise tag — at a cost north of $10MM — on Eifert.
When on the field, Eifert is clearly one of the more dynamic tight ends in the league. In his best season to date (2015), Eifert appeared in 13 games and managed 52 receptions for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns. That type of production puts Eifert among elite tight end company, but his availability concerns are sure to reduce his market.
The Bengals will go forward with Tyler Kroft, C.J. Uzomah, and Cethan Carter at tight end, while H-back Ryan Hewitt can also play the position. If Cincinnati wants to pursue an outside addition, free agent tight ends include Gary Barnidge, Larry Donnell, Ladarius Green, and Jacob Tamme.