Injuries Could Affect Contract Talks Between Bengals, Eifert
- Tight end Tyler Eifert‘s health (or lack thereof) for the rest of the year will determine how extension talks between him and the Bengals go during the offseason, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Eifert missed the Bengals’ first four games of the season because of an ankle injury, and just as he was set to return this Sunday, a back problem came to the fore Wednesday to put his status in question. Various injuries have limited Eifert to just 28 of the Bengals’ 52 regular-season games since they drafted him 21st overall in 2013. The ex-Notre Dame star broke out last season with 52 catches and 13 touchdowns, making a case for big money in the process, but Eifert’s injury history could give Cincinnati pause. Luckily for the Bengals, Eifert’s still under their control next season by way of his fifth-year option, so they still have time to decide whether to make a long-term commitment.
Tyler Eifert A Long Shot To Play In Week 5
- Tyler Eifert suffered a separate setback from the ankle problem he’s dealt with for months, but the Pro Bowl tight end hasn’t given up on making his 2016 Bengals debut despite having encountered back trouble, Bob Holtzman of ESPN.com reports. However, Holtzman adds the tight end sitting Sunday against the Cowboys remains the most likely result.
Bengals TE Tyler Eifert Dealing With New Injury
Uh oh. Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, who was slated to return action on Sunday, did not practice with the team today. Apparently, his absence was not related to his injured ankle but instead is tied to a new malady (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The Bengals have since confirmed that Eifert is being evaluated for a back injury. His status for Week 5 (and potentially beyond) is now up in the air. 
[RELATED: Bengals “Blow Off” Report Criticizing Kevin Coyle]
The former first-round pick missed 15 games in 2014 with an elbow injury and played in 13 games last season. This offseason, he had ankle surgery and his recovery cost him a good chunk of summer practices as well as the first month of the season. The Bengals have been anxiously awaiting Eifert’s return and the impact that he could have in the red zone, so they are keeping their fingers crossed as team doctors examine him.
Through four games, the Bengals are 2-2 with wins over the Jets and Dolphins and losses to the Steelers and Broncos. On Sunday, they travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bengals "Blow Off" Report Criticizing Coyle
- Former Dolphins DC Kevin Coyle did not draw rave reviews from his Bengals secondary charges, according to a report earlier this week. However, the Bengals — who beat the Dolphins 22-7 on Thursday night — refute the report the new Cincinnati defensive backs coach is unpopular among his players, per Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Bengals “blew off” that contention, instead pointing to the usual adjustment period associated with new coaches. The Dolphins fired Coyle midway through last season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
Signed: LB Trevor Roach (Twitter link via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer)- Cut: Darius Hillary
New England Patriots
- Signed: FB Glenn Gronkowski (story)
- Cut: WR Da’Ron Brown
Bengals Activate Burfict, Waive Roach
Vontaze Burfict is back. After serving his three-game suspension, Burfict has been activated in time for tonight’s game against the Dolphins, per a club announcement. To make room for Burfict on the 53-man roster, the Bengals have waived fellow linebacker Trevor Roach. 
In January, Burfict was suspended after drilling Antonio Brown late in the Bengals’ AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers. Burfict met with Roger Goodell in an effort to get his suspension reduced, but it was to no avail. The linebacker has a long history of controversial plays, including his hit on Ravens tight end Maxx Williams in Week 17 when Williams was nowhere near the ball.
Burfict, in his fifth NFL season, racked up 74 total tackles, one sack, two interceptions, and five pass deflections in ten games last year. Burfict is facing another shortened campaign thanks to his suspension, but he hopes to make up for lost time in a matter of hours.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bengals Notes: A. Jones, Burfict, Coyle
The latest out of Cincinnati, where the Bengals have started 1-2 on the season:
- Bengals cornerback Adam Jones says he was “somewhat” close to signing with the Dolphins in the offseason, as Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. Miami was rumored to have interest in Jones, and the connection made sense given that former Cincinnati secondary coach Vance Joseph is now the defensive coordinator in South Beach. However, the Bengals prioritized Jones in free agency, re-signing him to a three-year deal that contains $6MM guaranteed.
- Speaking of Bengals defensive backs, some in the club’s secondary room aren’t happy with the coaching techniques of new DBs coach Kevin Coyle, the former Miami DC who essentially swapped roles with Joseph, writes Beasley in a full article. One player, according to Beasley, believes Coyle is “coaching [the Bengals] not to lose instead of coaching them to win.” Cincinnati was lit up by the Broncos and Trevor Siemian on Sunday, and ranks 19th in defensive passing DVOA.
- The Bengals have a roster exemption for linebacker Vontaze Burfict which will expire on Thursday, per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Burfict is coming off a three-game suspension for repeated violations of the NFL’s safety protocols. Head coach Marvin Lewis says Cincinnati will make a roster move on either Wednesday or Thursday, but wasn’t sure whether Burfict would play against the Dolphins on Thursday, tweets Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
NFL Waiver Priority Now Based On 2016 Record
We’re coming up on Week 4 of the NFL season and that means that waiver claim priority will be based on the current league standings instead of last year’s. Of course, waiver priority is based on the inverted NFL standings, which have built in tiebreakers to sort out the many logjams that naturally occur.
Throughout the offseason and the first three weeks of the regular season, the Titans enjoyed top priority thanks to their 3-13 finish last year. Now, we have a brand new pecking order. Here is a full rundown of the current waiver claim priority, which will change from week to week:
1. Jaguars
2. Saints
3. Bears
4. Browns
5. Chargers
6. Lions
7. Jets
8. Cardinals
9. Bills
10. Colts
11. Dolphins
12. 49ers
13. Buccaneers
14. Bengals
15. Titans
16. Redskins
17. Panthers
18. Falcons
19. Cowboys
20. Giants
21. Raiders
22. Packers
23. Chiefs
24. Rams
25. Seahawks
26. Texans
27. Steelers
28. Ravens
29. Eagles
30. Broncos
31. Vikings
32. Patriots
Tyler Eifert Won’t Play On Thursday?
Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has hinted that he might play this week, but it’s not expected to happen, according to Bob Holtzman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). We’ll have to wait longer for Eifert to make his 2016 debut, though a Week 5 return is possible. Eifert has not participated in a full practice yet and has not done any 11-on-11 work. 
Eifert missed the bulk of the 2014 season with an elbow injury and missed three games in 2015. Last year, the tight end caught 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns. This year, he was expected to take on an even larger role in the Bengals’ passing game, particularly with Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones out of the picture. Eifert could still be an impact player for Cincinnati, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait until October to see him in action.
After facing the Dolphins on Thursday night, the Bengals travel to Dallas on Oct. 9. While Eifert is out, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah will remain as the Bengals’ top tight ends.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tyler Eifert To Be Game-Time Decision?
The Bengals are close to having their No. 2 pass-catcher back on the field, but their Thursday-night assignment complicates matters somewhat. However, Tyler Eifert is shaping up to be a game-time decision this week, when the Bengals host the Dolphins, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com tweets.
Cincinnati is coming off two straight losses and hasn’t found a reliable secondary pass-catcher after the departures of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu have the group devoid of proven holdovers. C.J. Uzomah has seven receptions for 99 yards in Eifert’s stead, but the Bengals’ offense received 13 touchdown receptions from its breakout tight end last season and is now without its Nos. 2, 3 and 5 targets from 2015.
Eifert practiced Monday on a limited basis. Week 4 has served as the team’s target for its tight end for a while as he attempts to complete his recovery from the ankle surgery that sidelined him throughout the preseason. He underwent the ankle operation on May 25.
The former first-round pick missed 15 games in 2014 with an elbow injury and played in 13 games last season. So, Eifert — who is playing on the fifth-year option worth $4.782MM — will have to wait until 2017 to potentially play his first 16-game season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.