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.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (illness) is officially active for the Week 15 game on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings despite being a late addition to the injury report on Friday and being given a questionable tag. The 27-year-old might be a little under the weather, but he will be active and continue in a committee role at the tight end position for the Bengals alongside Irv Smith Jr., Tanner Hudson and Mitchell Wilcox. Sample played a season-high 67 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 14 win over the Indianapolis Colts, but it led to only two receptions for four yards. It's hard for fantasy managers to really trust any of Cincy's tight ends in this committee, especially with quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) done for the year. Sample has only 14 receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns on the year in 13 games played.
Drew Sample Added To Injury Report, Questionable For Saturday
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (illness) has been added to the Week 15 injury report and is now questionable to play on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings. Sample hasn't been on the fantasy radar in 2023 with only 14 catches on 17 targets for 97 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games played. If he's still not feeling good on Saturday and is held out, it would mean slightly more playing time for Tanner Hudson, Irv Smith Jr. and Mitchell Wilcox at the tight end position for the Bengals. Hudson only played 23 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 14 win over the Indianapolis Colts but had two catches for 21 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Smith hasn't caught a pass since Week 12 and played just 13 percent of the snaps last weekend. Fantasy managers can probably find better streaming options than Hudson and Smith in Week 15.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (foot) was able to get through a full practice session on Thursday. It appears both Sample and Tanner Hudson (finger) should be available for the Week 13 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sample hauled in his lone target for an 11-yard touchdown during last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Between the two, Hudson is the better fantasy option, but neither are anything more than a desperation option in PPR formats.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (knee), who missed all but one game last year with a torn MCL and PCL, wasn't supposed to be cleared until training camp. However, he was able to get into the team's last three practices, chalking it up to the team's light schedule that allowed him to get into 7-on-7 drills during the spring. Sample, a former second-round pick by the Bengals in 2019 out of Washington, had his best season in 2020 when he had caught 40 of his 53 targets for 349 yards and one touchdown in 16 games (13 starts). The 27-year-old has never had a big role in Cincy's offense and probably won't in 2023, either, unless the injury-prone Irv Smith Jr. goes down with another injury.
The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday. Sample return to Cincinnati for his fifth season with the team after they originally drafted him in the second round in 2019 out of Washington. The 26-year-old played in only two games in 2022 due to a serious knee injury, and he has only 58 receptions on 76 targets for 458 yards and one touchdown in 44 regular season games (25 starts) in his four years in the NFL with the Bengals. Sample is well off the fantasy radar and will likely be competing for a backup role with Devin Asiasi, Tanner Hudson and Nick Bowers this summer behind presumed starter Irv Smith Jr.
Free agent tight end Drew Sample (knee) worked out for the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday. He appeared in two games for the Bengals last season before suffering a season-ending MCL/PCL injury in Week 2. The 26-year-old underwent knee surgery and was not retained by the Bengals during the offseason. The former second-round pick caught 58 passes for 458 yards and a touchdown in over four seasons with the Bengals. Sample is not on fantasy radar and would provide depth for Arizona, who have Zach Ertz and Trey McBride atop the tight end depth chart.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (knee) won't return to Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a right knee injury. While the team has Hayden Hurst as its primary pass-catching tight end, losing Sample isn't ideal for an offensive line that continues to struggle. If the 26-year-old misses time, the Bengals will need some help keeping Joe Burrow upright, or the quarterback's fantasy managers may suffer.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample was a full participant during Friday's practice, so he should be ready for the AFC North showdown against Pittsburgh. The team didn't list why Sample was on the injury report. However, he did deal with a knee injury over the summer. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old remains behind Hayden Hurst on the depth chart, giving him little to no fantasy value even if he suits up in Week 1.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample (knee) is currently wearing a brace and walking with a crutch. Head coach Zac Taylor mentioned that Sample is likely to miss a few weeks. The 26-year-old suffered the injury during practice on Thursday and was carted off the field. It sounds like Sample should be ready in time for the beginning of the season. He put together a 40-catch season in 2020, but didn't make much of an impact in 2021. It's tough to imagine Sample bringing much to the table this upcoming season.
