New Cincinnati Bengals TE Noah Fant Eager To Debut His Role in ‘Complicated, Detailed Offense’

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant called Zac Taylor’s decision not to play him in the first preseason game “gracious.”

Fant said Taylor’s offense is the most complicated and detailed scheme he’s played in during his seven seasons in the league, so he was happy to have an extra week to integrate himself before tonight’s game at Washington.

“I don't think it's complicated in a bad way,” Fant said of the Bengals offense. “It's just very detailed to be able to scratch any itch that you need against any defense in the league. You need to know a lot of things.

“Obviously this is a new offense that I've been learning for two weeks, so being in the huddle, hearing those live calls is going to be super helpful for me to get in the flow,” he added. “It was good that they let me get my feet underneath me before I got out there.”

Taylor initially said the plan was to play the starters for the first half in this game. But following their impressive debut at Philadelphia and the near-cataclysmic state of the offensive line, he said he doesn’t need to see them any longer than a series or two.

Since signing with the team July 31 after also visiting the Dolphins and Saints, Fant has been getting plenty of reps with the first- and second-team offense in an attempt to get up to speed.

He is the most well-rounded tight end on the roster, with Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson serving primarily as receives and Drew Sample and Cam Grandy working mostly as blockers.

So Fant figures to be on the field a lot this year, and the learning process is going to continue into the regular season.

While learning the offense has been tricky, getting to know quarterback Joe Burrow has been anything but.

Fant said Burrow was one of the biggest reasons he decided to sign in Cincinnati rather tan Miami or New Orleans, and nothing he’s seen or heard from his new quarterback has been a surprise.

“I'm going to be honest with you, I came in with the highest expectations, and he's lived up to all of that,” Fant said. “His mentality every day coming to work is attacking the day, being detailed, all those things. It never falters. That's who he is. So I've really appreciated that and enjoyed working with that and being in this offense.”

A first-round pick in 2019, Fant played three seasons in Denver before the team traded him to Seattle.

He signed a two-year, $21.5 million extension to remain in Seattle in March 2024, but the Seahawks cut him right before the start of training camp.

The Bengals were the first team Fant visited, and he ended up thinking they would be the best fit for him, which is why he signed for one year, $2.75 million, with a possible additional $1.5 million incentives.

“Talking to the coaches, seeing the vision for myself, for the team, what their goals are, all those things – winning football, a winning culture and striving to win a Super Bowl, that's something I really wanted to be a part of,” Fant said. “That's not to say any of the other teams didn't have that, but I just really felt a good connection here, and I liked the opportunity to play with Joe.

“I like the opportunity to play with Ja'Marr (Chase) and Tee (Higgins) and Drei (Iosivas), Chase Brown,” he continued. “It's a star-studded offense, so it was a really cool opportunity for me to come in and be around those guys.”

Seeing exactly where he fits in that group will be a work in progress.

But Fant, who posted 300 receptions for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first six seasons, doesn’t expect there to be any easing in when it comes to contributing to an offense with plenty of opportunities despite the abundance of playmakers.

“Historically they've done a good job with tight ends here,” he said. “Obviously you have some really great receivers on the outside of you, you have Chase Brown in the backfield, it's going to open up the middle.

“I think that's a really beneficial thing for the tight ends, finding space in there,” Fant continued. “And when Joe needs some help, he can dump it off to you or you're open on different pass concepts. So that was a really big thing that attracted me to come here.”