After being one of the few surprising departures during the Steelers’ final roster cuts, Zach Gentry has found a new home in Cincinnati according to a report by Tom Pelissero.
The Steelers announced that they would release Gentry on Aug. 29 after rookie tight end Darnell Washington proved that he could play Gentry’s role. Now, Gentry joins the rival Cincinnati Bengals as a part of their practice squad.
Gentry spent his first four seasons with the Steelers after being selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 40 career games, Gentry recorded 26 starts at tight end. In total, Gentry hauled in 39 career receptions for 303 yards.
He played in just six games over his first two seasons but started to come into his own in 2021 when he appeared in all 17 games for the Steelers. Gentry set career highs with 19 catches and 167 yards in 2021. The most memorable catch of Gentry’s career was during the Steelers’ 2021 Wild Card defeat in which he caught Ben Roethlisberger’s last professional pass. Last season, Gentry started 13 of his 17 appearances while mainly seeing reps as a blocking specialist.
While Gentry was never the do-it-all tight end for the Steelers, he became a fan favorite due to his personality. He and Freiermuth paired up as co-hosts for the Steelers’ video feature Grillin’ N’ Chillin’ that aired during the offseason the past few seasons.
In the end, the Steelers decided to stash three tight ends on their final 53-man roster which included Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward, and Washington. With Washington’s size and blocking ability matching those of Gentry’s paired with his surprising receiving ability, the Steelers felt comfortable with letting the converted college quarterback walk as a free agent.
The Steelers decided to keep a tight end on their practice squad too, as they retained Rodney Williams as a part of the team’s 16-man practice squad.
Gentry signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Steelers this offseason after he became a free agent for the first time in his professional career. The Steelers incurred $152,500 in dead money due to Gentry’s release.
With Gentry staying in the AFC North, if he is able to make the Bengals’ 53-man roster at some point in the season, he will have the chance to potentially play against the team that drafted him twice this season. With the Bengals opting to let last year’s starting tight end Hayden Hurt walk in free agency, the idea is not a bizarre one.
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