Who Should I Start? Tanner Hudson or Drew Sample

Friday, March 15, 12:20 PM

Free-agent tight end Tanner Hudson is re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday on an undisclosed one-year deal, according to a source. In his first year in Cincinnati last season, Hudson caught a career-high 39 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown on 50 targets in 12 games played (one start). His previous career-high in receptions came the previous season with the New York Giants, when he had just 10 catches. The 29-year-old ended up being the team's top pass-catching tight end a season ago due to the struggles of Irv Smith Jr., who has since moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals signed Mike Gesicki in free agency and also brought back Drew Sample, so it will be an uphill battle for Hudson to lead the Bengals in receiving for a second year in a row at the position in 2024.

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.