Jack Endries landed in Cincinnati as a seventh-round pick, but the Bengals may have gotten a lot more than a late flyer. Around the NFL Draft community, the Texas tight end drew praise for lasting that long, and the fit in Cincinnati looks better the more you study the Bengals’ tight end room.
Endries arrived with some real momentum behind him, and he didn’t exactly hide how much it meant to keep getting passed over before the Bengals finally called his name. He spent time at California with Fernando Mendoza before transferring to Austin last year to catch passes from Arch Manning. Now the next step is obvious: if things go as planned, he’ll be catching throws from Joe Burrow.
That path to playing time may be shorter than people think because Cincinnati’s tight end group is not exactly packed with complete players. Mike Gesicki, as the source puts it, is “TINO”, as in, “Tight End In Name Only.”
He spends most of his snaps lined up like a slot receiver rather than as a true inline tight end. Tanner Hudson brings pass-catching value - he had 39 receptions in 2023 - but blocking is not his calling card.
Erick All Jr. has Burrow’s attention, and Burrow said after the Bengals’ first open practice of training camp, via Chatterbox Sports:
"It's great to have him back. Obviously, he had a lot going on with his knee, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him.
He looks good. He looks fit, fast, explosive...so he'll play a big role for us this year."
All missed most of his rookie year and all of last year because of a torn ACL, then dealt with complications from the original surgery and needed multiple procedures. He’s an exciting piece, but the question hanging over him is whether Cincinnati can really count on him in 2026. Drew Sample is still around too, and the explanation is pretty simple: the front office hasn’t fully moved on from the pick, and he’s the best blocker on the roster at the position.
That’s the opening Endries is walking into. And he has the tools to push through it.
He posted a strong pre-draft Relative Athletic Score of 8.87 out of 10, including an elite 4.62 40-yard dash. He’s strong at the catch point, and he looks comfortable finding space in zones.
The college résumé backs that up. In two seasons at Cal, Endries totaled 91 catches for 1,030 yards and four touchdowns.
Last season at Texas, he added 33 receptions for 346 yards and three scores, while also earning a 66.6 PFF run blocking grade. Texas also gave him a taste of pro-style football, not just perimeter screens and RPOs, which should help smooth the transition.
There’s also the matter of the spotlight. Endries has already played in the Arch Manning orbit, so the idea of working with a star quarterback like Burrow shouldn’t rattle him. If anything, he seems to welcome that kind of stage.
One more detail could matter here: Locked On Bengals podcaster Jake Liscow noted from Wednesday’s training camp practice that Cincinnati’s first offensive play came under center in 12 personnel, with one back, two tight ends and two wide receivers. If the Bengals lean into more of those looks, Endries’ path only gets clearer. Gesicki’s role is what it is, All’s health is still a question, and if Endries starts flashing in camp, the coaches will have a hard time keeping him buried.
He may be a seventh-round pick, but Endries has the kind of profile that can force its way into the conversation. The Bengals might have a surprise on their hands.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow Had A Telling Camp Moment Bengals Fans Will Notice
The opening day of Bengals training camp offered a small but revealing snapshot of where Joe Burrow is heading into 2026. During an exchange with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the quarterback showed the kind of competitive edge Cincinnati has leaned on since he arrived, a reminder that camp is about more than conditioning and installs. It is also about setting a tone, especially for a team coming off a 6-11 season and another year without a playoff berth.
Burrows own recent history makes moments like that stand out even more. He was limited to eight games last season because of injury, while Lawrence was on the field for all 17, and the contrast only sharpens the stakes around Burrows return. For the Bengals, every sign that their franchise quarterback is back in the middle of the fight matters, and this was one of those early-camp exchanges fans will probably file away. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bengal Sends Ja'Marr Chase A Serious Camp Warning
The first day of Bengals training camp had plenty of edge, and not just the kind coaches like to see in July. JaMarr Chase got caught up in a physical altercation with teammates DJ Turner and Jalen Davis that helped turn practice into a team-wide scrum, part of a session that featured multiple chippy exchanges and a reminder that camp intensity can spill over fast.
Former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh took the moment as a cautionary one for Chase, saying the star wideout needs to keep his composure because Cincinnati cannot afford to lose him on game day. His point was simple enough: when emotions run hot and the wrong player gets crossed, the fallout can land on the one guy the Bengals least want to sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Ja'Marr Chase Had Bengals Camp Boiling And His Response Said Plenty
Training camp always has a little edge to it, but Ja'Marr Chase helped turn up the temperature when a routine Bengals practice got chippy and spilled into a scuffle. The wide receiver was right in the middle of it, even going so far as to rip off a teammates helmet and send it down the field, a moment that fit the kind of hard-nosed, high-intensity camp Cincinnati has been trying to build as it gears up for the 2026 season.
Chases response afterward said as much about the Bengals mindset as the skirmish itself. He brushed it off as football at the end of the day, said teams have to keep distractions from taking over, and made clear he actually likes that kind of edge. The bigger takeaway for Cincinnati is that the camp fire is there, and with the Bengals trying to push past recent playoff disappointment, the line between competitive energy and unnecessary noise will matter all summer. [Read more 🡒]