Tight end is a bit of a notorious position for the Bengals. The team loves Drew Sample, but he has obvious limitations. Anytime you mention Mike Gesicki’s name, someone is bound to call him a wide receiver.
Then there is Erick All, the 2024 draft pick who can do it all, except notably stay healthy.
Jack Endries fits into a similar mold.
He’s not as strong of a blocker as All, but he can get the job done, and he is a definite threat in the passing game.
If All can stay healthy, this young duo could be
a heck of a one-two punch. If things don’t work out for All, Endries could still make for a plus starter at Y tight end. `
Let’s take a look at what he can do.
Here, you see Endries with a touchdown catch for the Longhorns last season. He runs a post route underneath the inside receiver, which creates a pick. The ball is thrown a bit behind him, but he adjusts to the placement and manages to pull it in for the score.
Here is an even more impressive catch from Endries. He is bracketed pretty well by two Ohio State defenders, and Arch Manning drops it right in the bucket in between them. As the safety comes flying in, Endries stays focused on the ball and brings it in for a big gain.
This is a very impressive catch.
Before he teamed up with Manning, he was catching balls from No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza at Cal.
He takes this fake screen pass to the house, exceeding 20 miles per hour on the run after the catch.
He didn’t seem to have the same speed at Texas last season, which many have chalked up to battling through injury, but here you see how he can use his length and strength to create more yards after the catch as well.
Of course, that is after he does a nice job of finding the soft spot to sit down in the zone, a skill that defines great tight ends in the NFL.
Whether inline or on the move, Endries is a solid blocker.
Here you see him square up against the Bengals’ top pick, Cashius Howell, and he does an excellent job.
Endries could be a very important piece for the Bengals’ offense this season, allowing them to utilize multiple tight end looks and giving them more versatility than the Bengals had at the position last season.
