Erick All is back on the field, and for the first time in a while, that’s the story.
The Bengals tight end has had the kind of injury run that can swallow a young career before it ever gets moving. A back injury in 2022 slowed him down, then a torn ACL in his right knee in 2023 ended his season in the second half. After that, his rookie year turned into another lost stretch when he tore the same knee again, knocking him out for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025 after complications led to a second surgery.
Now he’s cleared for his third season, and he’s not spending much time replaying the setbacks.
“Not really thinking about it. Like now, it kind of gets you, but when you’re out there, you kind of forget about that part of it, and you just play,” All said in an interview with Fox 19’s Gabi Sorrentino.
That outlook fits the moment. All made the roster as long as he was healthy entering the season, so his spot was never really the question. The bigger issue is what comes next in a Cincinnati offense that already has plenty of targets to spread around, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins leading the way.
There’s still intrigue here because the Bengals drafted All in the 2024 NFL Draft for a reason. He has the chance to be a legitimate pass-catching tight end, the kind of player who can add another layer to the offense if he can stay on the field.
For All, though, the priority is simpler than all the rest of the discussion around him. He wants to finish a season healthy for the first time since 2021 at Michigan, when he led the Wolverines with 38 catches for 437 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games with eight starts.
“Individually, just making it out of the season healthy, and really, that’s all I care about, to be honest,” said All. “I don’t care about anything else. I mean, as long as I’m doing good and we win games, then that’s all I really care about.”
He’ll have competition for snaps and touches, with Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, and rookie Jack Endries also in the tight end room. Add in the talent at receiver, and there won’t be anything handed to him.
Still, the Bengals are clearly hoping All can finally get a clean run. If he does, he could help them in the pass game and give the offense another piece as they try to get back into the playoffs.
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Have A Week 1 Reason For Real Optimism
A few days out from Week 1, the Bengals have started to look a lot more like the team they expected to be when camp opened. Shemar Stewart, JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins have all returned to practice, easing some of the early injury concern that had hung over Cincinnati and giving Zac Taylor a much better baseline as the season opener approaches.
There is still the usual early-season uncertainty that comes with getting a roster fully into game shape, but this is the kind of development the Bengals needed. Taylor has already been setting expectations for fans as the opener nears, and the team also put its 2026 leadership group in place this week, with Dexter Lawrence II joining the captaincy after his recent trade. For a team trying to get its footing right away, the timing could hardly be better. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Lost One Big Advantage Heading Into Week 1
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Cincinnati also appears headed for a more complete version of Tampa Bay than the Bengals may have hoped for. Wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan have both practiced this week and are expected to be available, which only adds to the sense that the Buccaneers are close to full strength entering Sunday. For a Bengals team trying to open the season with a clean start, the margin for error just got a little smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Have A Surprise New Receiver Fans Should Be Watching
Dohnte Meyers has already packed a lot into his path to the Bengals 53-man roster, and now the former CFL standout is suddenly in the mix as a receiver worth monitoring. After recovering from shoulder surgery and helping win the Grey Cup in Canada, Meyers fought his way onto Cincinnatis roster and gives the team another fresh look at a position where every spot has to be earned.
For Bengals fans, the appeal is obvious: Meyers brings a different backstory and a late-blooming resume into a receiver room that always seems to be one injury or one hot streak away from reshaping itself. His arrival comes amid plenty of AFC North movement elsewhere, but Cincinnatis interest is in whether he can turn a surprising roster spot into something more when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]