Bengals Sign TE Hurst; Re-Sign Thomas, Allen, Tupou, Apple

The offensive line was the Bengals’ top concern coming into free agency, and they’ve taken care of it so far. However, C.J. Uzomah‘s departure to the Jets left a hole at tight end the size of roughly – well, C.J. Uzomah. The Bengals responded by bringing in Hayden Hurst on a one-year deal Thursday.

We are excited to announce that #TeamESM client @haydenrhurst has agreed to terms with the @Bengals on a 1-year deal! #WhoDey pic.twitter.com/T3AhQRGFZK

— EnterSports Management (@EnterSportsMgmt) March 17, 2022

Hurst is a solid acquisition for the Bengals, who don’t need a world-beater at tight end. Across two seasons with Atlanta, Hurst posted 82 receptions for 792 yards and 6 touchdowns, per PFR. The Bengals may lose a little blocking here, but Hurst is a serviceable receiving threat comparable to what Uzomah gave them in 2021. If he’s your fifth option in a passing offense led by Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon, you’ll be fine.

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In addition to bringing in Hurst, the Bengals brought back some depth pieces on short-term deals. Safety Michael Thomas and quarterback Brandon Allen each returned to Cincinnati for 2022, while defensive lineman Josh Tupou received a two-year extension. None of them played more than 40% of snaps for the Bengals in 2021, per PFR, but locker room consistency is preserved by bringing them all back. Tupou and Thomas provide depth at key positions, and Allen had decent numbers in limited action in 2021.

The Bengals also brought cornerback Eli Apple back on a one-year extension. Apple drew 15 starts in 16 games for Cincinnati in 2021. His play wasn’t elite, as he earned a 60.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, but he made some big pressure plays when needed. The Bengals will still most likely look for another corner or two before the start of the season. However, Apple is a relatively safe and inexpensive option if they can’t get anyone else.

According to the Spotrac salary cap tracker, the Bengals still have about $17 million to spend this free agency, should they choose to do so. With a bit over a month before the 2022 NFL Draft, they have plenty of time to decide where to spend in free agency and what to look for in the draft.

– Chris Railsback is a contributing writer for the Bengals at Full Press Coverage.