The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping they found a steal when they nabbed Texas tight end Jack Endries in the seventh round. He was projected to go much sooner on Day 3, but projections are just that after all.
It does sound like Endries at least ended up in a place he was hoping for, though.
“This was definitely my top location,” Endries told Dan Hoard. “I wanted to play for Coach (James) Casey, so I’m really happy that I got here and can learn here.”
The Bengals have lacked continuity at the tight end position during quarterback Joe Burrow’s tenure with the team. Burrow has only had two tight ends stick around for more than a single season.
Endries could quite easily be the heir apparent to Mike Gesicki, who will be 31 in October and is only signed through 2027. Endries isn’t exactly built like Gesicki, but he has that same versatility in where he can line up, maybe even more so than Gesicki.
Erick All also doesn’t factor into the conversation about Endries and Gesicki. All plays the same role Noah Fant did last season as a movable in-line tight end who is a plus blocker. Anything he provides as a pass catcher is just gravy.
Endries could easily benefit from sitting behind a guy like Gesicki and slowly growing into a role over the next couple of years.
Morale of the story, it isn’t always about how high you go in the draft. It is sometimes more about who you go to.
