Who Should I Start? Drew Sample or Albert Okwuegbunam

Monday, March 11, 4:49 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension on Monday, according to a source. Sample will receive $3.5 million in 2024. In his fifth year with the Bengals in 2023, Sample had 22 catches on 27 targets for 163 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 17 games (10 starts). Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox and Irv Smith Jr. are all free agents, but one or more of them could be retained or the Bengals could add competition at the position through the NFL draft. The 27-year-old Sample has accumulated just 80 receptions (103 targets) for 621 yards and three touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with Cincy, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Bengals to utilize him as their unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching TE in 2024.

Thursday, February 22, 7:06 PM

The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed tight end Albert Okwuegbunam to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, according to a source. Okwuegbunam was scheduled to become a free agent in March, but he'll stick around in Philadelphia for at least another season. The Denver Broncos' former fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Missouri landed with the Eagles before the 2023 campaign but failed to catch his only target in only four games last season. The 25-year-old finished the year on Injured Reserve due to a mysterious hamstring injury. With Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra ahead of him on the depth chart, Albert O figures to be facing an uphill battle to make the regular-season roster out of training camp this summer.