The Cincinnati Bengals are shaking things up on offense-and the tight end room just got a lot more interesting.
Veteran tight end Noah Fant is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Bengals, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move gives quarterback Joe Burrow another receiving option and brings more depth to a unit that’s already seen plenty of turnover in recent seasons.
Fant, a former first-round pick out of Iowa, spent the past two seasons with the Seahawks after being part of the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver. Before that, he played three solid years with the Broncos, including back-to-back 600+ yard seasons.
A New Piece in a Growing Puzzle
The Bengals aren’t short on tight ends-Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample are both on the roster, and Cincinnati just gave Gesicki a three-year deal worth $25.5 million this offseason. But Fant brings a different flavor. He’s athletic, fast, and has shown flashes of being a reliable downfield target.
He was released by Seattle in July and quickly became one of the more intriguing names on the market. According to reports, Fant met with Miami and New Orleans before ultimately choosing Cincinnati-a sign that the Bengals’ offensive setup and postseason potential were a draw.
In 2023, Fant caught 48 passes for 500 yards and a touchdown with the Seahawks. Not jaw-dropping numbers, but in a crowded offense, they were solid enough to keep teams interested.
Now, he joins a Bengals offense that has quietly reloaded after key departures, hoping to stay in the AFC title mix. Whether Fant becomes a featured target or a situational weapon, he’s walking into a unit where creativity and opportunity go hand in hand.
And if the Bengals can tap into the version of Fant that showed promise early in his career? This signing might end up looking like a bargain.
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