TE Offseason 2025

[MichaelWeston]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X5zdTRZPDkDPyoBeBmCfryu321hyal7qybbZpLYIOqE/edit?usp=sharing

 

Last years convo

 

Green=Guys I like

Gold=Guys that I'd target over errybody

Green/Teal=Notes that standout for guys

Red=Bad stats/notes

Purple=Was coached by our coach

 

Draft Order	Cap	TE	Age	Overall	Receiving	Pass Block	Run Block	Snaps	Starts 24/Career	stats	Notes
		Grandy-Bengals	24	63.5	71	74.9	65.6	75	6/6	5-28-5.6-0	55% IN	2026
		McLachlan-Bengals	26	60.1	59.8		60	5	NA	NA	1 snap	2028
		All-Bengals	25	59.9	63.3	77.7	47.6	231	6/6	20-158-7.9-0	60% IN	2028	IR 2025
		Sample-Bengals	29	48.9	47.7	47.9	51	654	15/50	20-109-5.5-1	64% IN	2027
		Gesicki-Bengals	30	71.5	71.1	56	61.4	523	3/44	65-665-10.2-2	68% Slot	2025
		Hudson-Bengals	31	67.4	66.8	73	54.6	119	0/2	19-154-8.1-1	41% Slot	2025
Draft Order	Cap	TE	Age	Overall	Receiving	Pass Block	Run Block	Snaps	Starts 24/Career	stats	Notes
Slot
		Gesicki-Bengals	30	71.5	71.1	56	61.4	523	3/44	65-665-10.2-2	68% Slot	2025
		Hudson-Bengals	31	67.4	66.8	73	54.6	119	0/2	19-154-8.1-1	41% Slot	2025
		Ertz-Commanders	34	67	72.5	64.7	41.3	928	17/130	66-654-9.9-7	56% Slot	Captain
9	1	Johnson-Saints	29	66.7	71.3	20	52.4	696	5/34	50-548-11.0-3	42.3% Slot	6'4 231
7		Conklin-Jets	30	58.8	61.4	78.8	42.9	806	15/64	51-449-8.8-4	48% Slot	3yr 20.2M
		Granson-Colts	27	52.3	58.3	78.3	65.9	430	6/17	14-182-13.0-0	45% Slot
	6	Dwelley-Falcons	30	51.2	52.3	21	59.4	104	0/17	1-5-5.0-0	58% Slot
5		DeGuara-Jaguars	28	49.4	51.4	81.2	62.2	86	0/10	3-14-4.7-0, 5 tackles	44% Slot	Taylor-18	6'2 238
		Hurst-Chargers	32	37.3	46.5		29.8	174	2/41	8-73-9.1-0	52% Slot
Inline
4		Hooper-Patriots	31	75.8	75.5	68.4	65.9	574	8/76	45-476-10.6-3	62% IN	1yr-3.125M	Peters 2020
3		Manhertz-Giants	33	69.3	66.3	72.4	63.8	343	11/64	3-30-10.0-1	92% IN
		Alie-Cox-Colts	32	67.6	64.5	75	64.2	475	13/47	12-147-12.3-1	81% IN
8		Franks-Panthers	27	67.3	60	70.6	66.7	46	0/1	1-12-12.0-0	66.7% IN	6'6 234
2	2	Akins-Browns	33	67.2	69.9	75.6	41	456	6/36	40-390-9.8-2	50.1% IN	Walters-18
		Long-Rams	27	66.6	62.7	73.4	68.1	307	2/5	7-60-8.6-0	79% IN
	8	Jordan-Texans	25	65.7	61.1	59	64.3	67	4/7	NA	93% IN
6		Bryant-Raiders	27	60	64.6	47.8	52.5	213	3/33	9-86-9.6-0	60% IN
5		Farrell-Jaguars	27	57.7	47.6	82.6	61.9	390	8/20	12-67-5.6-0	91% IN
		Mundt-Vikings	30	57.2	58.6	63.8	55.5	451	3/18	19-142-7.5-2	50% IN	Taylor-18
		Pruitt-Stealers	33	54.6	52	83.8	55	281	5/44	6-40-6.7-0	75% IN
8		Tremble-Panthers	25	54.4	53.8	30	60.4	518	11/34	23-234-10.2-2	47% IN
1		Vannett-Titans	32	54.3	70.1	50.2	44.7	399	10/53	17-135-7.9-3	89% IN
8		Thomas-Panthers	29	52.8	46.1	71.1	57.4	95	2/54	3-7-2.3-0	84% IN
		Saubert-49ers	31	51.2	49.1	31.8	63.3	377	3/19	11-97-8.8-1	56% IN
		Bates-Commanders	27	47.3	44.6	59	49.9	608	6/25	8-84-10.5-0	77% IN
	4	Stoll-Dolphins	27	46.3	46.1	63.8	53.1	203	2/28	2-10-5.0-0	55% IN	Walters-19
	3	Brown-Seahawks	31	45.6	43.4	47.8	54.8	263	7/54	8-65-8.1-0	78% IN
2	2	Swaim-Browns	32	45.3	39.8	65.6	49.8	140	2/67	1-7-7.0-0	78% IN
	8	Quitoriano-Texans	25	45.3	41.7	31.3	54	101	1/12	2-7-3.5-0	71% IN

[MichaelWeston]

Thoughts

1-Grandy-Sample-McClachlan is a less than exciting TE room

2-I wonder if its an if or situation with Gesicki and Higgins, I'd love them both back

3-I was high on McClachlan but think he's just a pass catcher

4-If they want an all around TE is that maybe Hooper/Allie-Cox

5-This is a VERY deep TE draft. 

6-All is reported as done this year but an ACL rehab usually only lasts 9 months. That would put him in October. Still you won't be able to count on him. 

7-Our guys coached adjacently Stoll-Hooper-Akins and Mundt

8-Taylor actually coached Deguara @ UC in 2016. He was a Freshman who caught 4 balls

 

[HavePityPlease]

23 minutes ago, MichaelWeston said:

6-All is reported as done this year but an ACL rehab usually only lasts 9 months. That would put him in October. Still you won't be able to count on him. 

 

IIRC the reason it's "definitely" the whole season is they're going to have to go and do yet another surgery which still hasn't even happened (in January they were giving a vague "in the coming months" timeline for the second surgery).

[MichaelWeston]

More thoughts

 

1. Juwan Johnson is interesting but he makes about as much as we would want to pay Gesicki and is probably not going to come on a deal. He's also undersized

2. Tyler Conklin was someone we were interested in before. He makes a similar amount and while he pass blocks better than Gesicki his run blocking is bad....and that's what we would want improvement on. 

3. Granson seems like a guy who you bet on cheap and maybe blows up with Burrow, but he had plenty of chances in Indy and never took the bull by the horns. 

4. DeGuara is another undersized guy but I wouldn't be surprised if he is in camp. He was a freshman when Taylor was the OC at University of Cincy

5. Austin Hooper is probably in the lead for me. He's cheap at 1 year 3.125 last year, Peters coached the line last year in NE and in Cleveland so he will know if he can block. His blocking numbers are actually quite good although I've heard he's more of pass catcher. He has played inline the majority of his career and has good size. 

6. Moe Alie Cox started as a basketball player transitioning to football and has become a good blocker. 

7. Hunter Long was a pass catcher in college who has bounced around a bit but has good run-blocking numbers and size. He is just 27. 

8. Tommy Tremble is just 25 and also has great size but hasn't flashed anything quite yet after being drafted in the third round. 

 

[MichaelWeston]

Overall the TE position is going to be interesting. 

 

-Bengals want a 2 way TE like All who doesn't tip what they want to do

-Gesicki tips what they want to do but was great last year and wants to be back. He is basically a slot WR

-Hudson should once again be nearly free and is very good at that price

-All is out

-Sample tips it because he's really just a blocker

-McClachlan is a complete unknown who you both can't right off or count on

-Gandy was fine for a UDFA seeing minutes. 

-The draft is deep

-We are a destination for wayward Free Agent TEs

 

There is wisdom in bringing back everyone

There is wisdom in doing a complete reset outside of probably Gandy and Sample

 

[claptonrocks]

On 2/14/2025 at 3:43 PM, MichaelWeston said:

Thoughts

1-Grandy-Sample-McClachlan is a less than exciting TE room

2-I wonder if its an if or situation with Gesicki and Higgins, I'd love them both back

3-I was high on McClachlan but think he's just a pass catcher

4-If they want an all around TE is that maybe Hooper/Allie-Cox

5-This is a VERY deep TE draft. 

6-All is reported as done this year but an ACL rehab usually only lasts 9 months. That would put him in October. Still you won't be able to count on him. 

7-Our guys coached adjacently Stoll-Hooper-Akins and Mundt

8-Taylor actually coached Deguara @ UC in 2016. He was a Freshman who caught 4 balls

 

According to your chart Drew Sample totally sucks as a blocker.

Gesicki had higher numbers.

Done hing seems amiss in those ratings.

 

Looking at the TEs you've listed...

Austin Hooper seems to fit our style..

[MichaelWeston]

The more I think about this the more I think there are probably no free-agent additions and they try to draft a long-term dual-threat guy. 

 

You keep Gesicki and then you have

 

Gesicki-McClachlan

Sample-Grandy

 

That feels good but Grandy might be your best dual threat and he's not much of that. 

[New Jersey Bengal]

32 minutes ago, MichaelWeston said:

The more I think about this the more I think there are probably no free-agent additions and they try to draft a long-term dual-threat guy. 

 

You keep Gesicki and then you have

 

Gesicki-McClachlan

Sample-Grandy

 

That feels good but Grandy might be your best dual threat and he's not much of that. 

How about Tyler Warren from penn state they'd have to go pick 17 to get him if he lasts that long and I think they draft defense anyway in the first round

[claptonrocks]

26 minutes ago, New Jersey Bengal said:

How about Tyler Warren from penn state they'd have to go pick 17 to get him if he lasts that long and I think they draft defense anyway in the first round

They have to draft defense.

They need players that can pressure/hit/sack the opposing QB

 

Chase Young hasn't put up the desired sacks projected as but

the pressures are high grade.

Alot of hits as well.

What's his price?

 

[sparky151]

Warren should be off the board by 17. Lots of mocks have him going to the Colts at 14. 

 

Bengals should re-sign Gesicki and perhaps Hudson and move on. This is a decent TE draft but it's not a major need for the Bengals. 

[claptonrocks]

17 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

Warren should be off the board by 17. Lots of mocks have him going to the Colts at 14. 

 

Bengals should re-sign Gesicki and perhaps Hudson and move on. This is a decent TE draft but it's not a major need for the Bengals. 

JB gets TEs good contracts after leaving.

Maybe Gesicki gets the royal deal from another team.

Want him back but it's iffy imo.

[MichaelWeston]

44 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

Warren should be off the board by 17. Lots of mocks have him going to the Colts at 14. 

 

Bengals should re-sign Gesicki and perhaps Hudson and move on. This is a decent TE draft but it's not a major need for the Bengals. 

 

Their entire offense changed with All. They will be going after someone who doesn't tip the defense in the draft. Whether they find it or not is another question. 

[T-Dub]

3 hours ago, sparky151 said:

Warren should be off the board by 17. Lots of mocks have him going to the Colts at 14. 

 

Bengals should re-sign Gesicki and perhaps Hudson and move on. This is a decent TE draft but it's not a major need for the Bengals. 

 

I would be trying to step up from Gesicki TBH.  I like TE's that will block.

[sparky151]

3 hours ago, MichaelWeston said:

 

Their entire offense changed with All. They will be going after someone who doesn't tip the defense in the draft. Whether they find it or not is another question. 

 

They played a lot of 12 personnel last season with Sample/All and Gesicki.

 

If we re-sign Gesicki, TE is pretty far down the priority list. I'd guess they give MacLachlan a chance before throwing another pick at the position.

 

19 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

I would be trying to step up from Gesicki TBH.  I like TE's that will block.

 

He's basically a large slot receiver and one of our top 3 pass catchers. 

3 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

JB gets TEs good contracts after leaving.

Maybe Gesicki gets the royal deal from another team.

Want him back but it's iffy imo.

 

Gesicki has been around long enough that other teams know him well. He didn't have much of a market a year ago. I doubt he's expensive to re-sign, maybe 8 mil per year, maybe less.

 

[T-Dub]

8 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

He's basically a large slot receiver and one of our top 3 pass catchers. 

 

 

 

I don't think he sucks or anything, just that Burrow is making him look good, same as he has the rest of the string of rental TE's not named Irvin.   If they'd drafted a TE like All only with knees I doubt Gesicki would be in their plans next year.   Either way I suspect they could do better for what he's expecting to be paid.

 

The Burton & All picks are really going to cost them.  Good thing for Tobin that he's tenured.

[claptonrocks]

30 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

I would be trying to step up from Gesicki TBH.  I like TE's that will block.

So your wanting a double threat?

No no..

Choose one sir..

[claptonrocks]

3 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

I don't think he sucks or anything, just that Burrow is making him look good, same as he has the rest of the string of rental TE's not named Irvin.   If they'd drafted a TE like All only with knees I doubt Gesicki would be in their plans next year.   Either way I suspect they could do better for what he's expecting to be paid.

 

The Burton & All picks are really going to cost them.  Good thing for Tobin that he's tenured.

Agree ...

Gesicki is a proven outlet option  and sometimes middle of the field playmaker..

Lots of TEs his size for receiving purposes.

Sample pff score was bad in blocking .

 

Finding the balance of the position ..

[sparky151]

20 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

I don't think he sucks or anything, just that Burrow is making him look good, same as he has the rest of the string of rental TE's not named Irvin.   If they'd drafted a TE like All only with knees I doubt Gesicki would be in their plans next year.   Either way I suspect they could do better for what he's expecting to be paid.

 

The Burton & All picks are really going to cost them.  Good thing for Tobin that he's tenured.

 

Gesicki is a better receiving TE than Uzomah, Hurst, or Smith. Let's hang on to him, given Iosivas isn't at the Boyd level and Burton looks like a bust.

 

I don't think Tobin hurt himself with the All pick. 

 

20 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

Agree ...

Gesicki is a proven outlet option  and sometimes middle of the field playmaker..

Lots of TEs his size for receiving purposes.

Sample pff score was bad in blocking .

 

Finding the balance of the position ..

 

Yes, there are lots of 6'6" TEs around. But not many as athletic or good at route running as Gesicki. Agreed he's not a blocker but that's not really his role. 

 

[claptonrocks]

On 2/17/2025 at 11:15 PM, New Jersey Bengal said:

How about Tyler Warren from penn state they'd have to go pick 17 to get him if he lasts that long and I think they draft defense anyway in the first round

That would be a great pick for the TE unit.

I believe he's the real deal..

Another big-time weapon and fuel qualities.

 

The Bengals priorities are greater than TE..

[-GoBengals-]

this may be the position group i care least about.. All was a much better safety valve player than Sample could be, but at the end of the day even  a great TE is a 3rd or 4th option in the offense.. All never had more than 32 receiving yards, there is no where near the upside for spending any real draft capital on the spot, nothing before the 4th or 5th, so aside from a free agent star looking to chase a ring i dont see any fireworks here.. Geisecki would be great, but he is a WR anyway.. 

[sparky151]

I'd like to have all our holes filled at the end of free agency. Then we'd be free to draft Most Value Added, which could be a TE at various points in the draft from Warren at 17 to someone like Prieskorn in round 6. 

 

 

[-GoBengals-]

5 hours ago, sparky151 said:

I'd like to have all our holes filled at the end of free agency. Then we'd be free to draft Most Value Added, which could be a TE at various points in the draft from Warren at 17 to someone like Prieskorn in round 6. 

 

 

 

#thatswhatshesaid

 

but yea no matter what, if you pay Tee and Chase, your return on investment of a TE with 70mil  ayear at WR isnt going to be a great one. unless someone gets hurt for a long period of time.. 

 

 

[sparky151]

I'd like to re-sign Gesicki. He'll probably get 7 mil per year or so as basically a big slot WR. With All out for the year, I think the team might look for a TE who can both block and catch. So, less Tanner Hudson or Harold Fannin and more Warren-Helm-Prieskorn. It's not a high priority but something for the back burner.

 

 

[dex]

1 hour ago, GoBengals said:

 

#thatswhatshesaid

 

but yea no matter what, if you pay Tee and Chase, your return on investment of a TE with 70mil  ayear at WR isnt going to be a great one. unless someone gets hurt for a long period of time.. 

 

 

Pretty clear the Bengals want a do-it-all TE who could line up everywhere and leave no run/pass tells for the defense.. That's what Erick All was trending toward until disaster struck.

[-GoBengals-]

2 hours ago, dex said:

Pretty clear the Bengals want a do-it-all TE who could line up everywhere and leave no run/pass tells for the defense.. That's what Erick All was trending toward until disaster struck.

 

for sure. be great to snag one of those guys.