As stated in the offensive preview a big part of the Bengals offense lies with tight end Tyler Eifert. Eifert being healthy could lead to a better than average year for this Cincinnati Bengals team. Unfortunately, he has never played a full 16 game schedule in his career. He missed most of the 2016 season and you could see the team free falling at that point.
Outside of AJ Green, Eifert may be the biggest part of this offense. If he can play a whole season, and be consistent, he is easily an All-Pro tight end. He is the biggest red zone threat on this team and the touchdown totals show that. In his 2015 his best year so far he had 615 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those are Gronkowski-esque numbers he was capable of putting up. Give me a full 16 games this year with those numbers if not, better numbers and he should be in the conversation for best in the league.
The only problem with Eifert’s game may be his blocking. While not the worst at the position, he does not rate too highly on that list. However, that is not the reason the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in 2013. He can line up anywhere and be a threat similar to everyone we throw into the “best tight end” debates. His 6’5” frame allows him to be a threat on corner fades in the end zone, and easily towers over most defensive backs in the league.
Going into the upcoming season Tyler Eifert could definitely be one of the pieces this offense was missing last season. He is a top five tight end in the NFL, now it is time to prove it. Hopefully, Andy Dalton’s offensive line will be able to keep him upright enough to get Eifert the ball on a consistent basis.
Editor’s Note: This article can also be seen in our upcoming NFL Preview Edition.