Noah Fant Signs With the Cincinnati Bengals

It looks like the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t content with settling for just making noise in the AFC; they are now fine-tuning their roster to make sure opponents are hearing nothing but groans of despair. Enter Noah Fant, the former first-round tight end whose arrival screams “underrated pickup.”

Sure, you’re probably thinking, “Another tight end? Don’t we already have Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample?” But that is exactly where this gets fun. Here’s a breakdown of why Fant isn’t just another name on the roster list but potentially the name that gives the Bengals’ offense a fresh dimension.

Who Is Noah Fant?

Fant may not have achieved superstar status just yet, but his résumé is nothing to scoff at. Over his six NFL seasons, the former 2019 first-round pick has logged 300 receptions for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has been reliable, suiting up for 95 of 100 available games. That kind of durability is a gem in today’s NFL grind.

His numbers last season with Seattle, 48 receptions for 500 yards and 1 touchdown, were mediocre. Fant’s ability to pick up extra yards after catch (YAC), even if it’s just those gritty, hard-fought yards, is a trait the Bengals’ offense can and will exploit with Joe Burrow under center.

Why This Signing Matters

1. More Than Just a Pass-Catcher

Fant isn’t a one-dimensional weapon. He brings enough flexibility to make him a solid addition to both the ground game and in pass protection. And while his blocking ratings via Pro Football Focus have been inconsistent, playing through injuries like a groin issue could explain those fluctuations. The Bengals are clearly banking on his 2023 form to return.

2. Balancing the Offense Isn’t a Fantasy

The Bengals have been leaning heavily on their wide receiver core and 11 personnel sets, but steering toward a more balanced offense could make them terrifying. Adding a tight end who can both block and act like a pseudo-receiver gives Zac Taylor’s offense all the flexibility it could want. Fant, paired with Gesicki and the rest of the crew, could force defenses into dilemmas they really don’t want to face.

Imagine Gesicki spreading the field and Fant working the middle, eating up mismatches against slower linebackers or undersized safeties. Burrow gets another layer for his quick-pass arsenal, one that will have defensive coordinators scratching their heads until the playoffs.

3. The Bengals Took the Initiative

Here is what makes this move shocking. The Bengals didn’t wait until the last second, scavenging for waivers after roster cutdowns. Nope. They saw an opportunity, engaged in a mini bidding war with Miami and New Orleans, and locked Fant up early in training camp. That is not just out-of-character for a team tightly clutching its purse strings in the past; it signals they’re fully committed to winning now.

 What Fant Brings To the Offense

Burrow’s quick decision-making can sometimes lead to throws short of the sticks, relying on his receivers to make defenders miss or drag them to a first down. Fant’s physicality and YAC potential make him the perfect candidate for those types of plays. He may not break 70-yard runs after a catch, but he can put linebackers on skates and secure the down.

Not to mention, Fant’s presence could create even more agonizing choices for opposing defenses. Do they play base defense to counter the potential run game, only to see Burrow carve them up through the air? Or do they go nickel regardless, taking their chances that Fant doesn’t function as an auxiliary wrecking ball in the trenches?

The Tight End Room Just Got Crowded

Fant’s arrival adds another layer of intrigue for the tight end rotation. Gesicki is still the go-to guy for pass-catching duties, and Sample anchors the “blocking guy” rep. That likely leaves guys like Tanner Hudson biting their nails as roles get reshuffled. It could even lead to role reductions, roster cuts, or mind games when it comes to who is featured in critical situations.

 What’s Next?

Fant might not be putting Canton, Ohio, on his GPS just yet, but what he brings to Cincinnati is far from ordinary. He is a low-risk, high-reward player who could significantly improve the Bengals’ offensive flexibility. And don’t sleep on what this move says about the Bengals’ urgency to keep climbing that mountain in what’s quickly become a nuclear AFC.