Noah Fant's Bengals Contract Details Revealed Ahead of First Practice With Team

The Bengals officially signed Noah Fant on Thursday. The former first round pick signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with up to $1.5 million in incentives according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Fant, 27, was released by the Seahawks before training camp started. He had multiple suitors and took three visits before signing with the Bengals. First, he came to Cincinnati. He went to New Orleans and Miami before making a final decision.

“He gives you even more flexibility,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said in reference to Fant. “You've got a player that's really a plus player in the run and the pass, so at the point of attack blocking, backside blocking and protection, he can help you."

Fant has at least 32 catches and 414 receiving yards in each of his six NFL seasons. He hauled in 48 receptions for 500 yards and one touchdown for Seattle last season.

“Really explosive as a receiver," Taylor said. "Great size, great explosiveness, great hands, tough to bring down. That's just another weapon. Erick All did that for us last year as well.”

Fant gives them another weapon, but he's also going to add another element to their offense.

“We have a lot of different ways we can deploy our tight ends and different combinations that try to generate different defenses and then try to attack however they decide to play us,” Taylor said. “Mike can get a lot of matchups that he can really take advantage of. Rolling two tight ends out there doesn't always mean that we're gonna get base defense.”

Fant has 300 career receptions for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns in six NFL seasons—three with the Broncos and three with the Seahawks.

He was the second tight end selected in the 2019 NFL Draft (20th overall).

Drew Sample was the fourth tight end selected at No. 52 overall.

“Each (tight end) brings something different, so obviously with Erick being out, we have a lot of different styles, and everyone's got their strengths and weaknesses,” Sample said on Thursday. “I feel like he'll be able to come in and add his strengths and we'll have a really well-rounded room.”

Fant has played in 95 of a possible 100 games, with three of the five he missed occurring last year due to a groin injury.

The Bengals have plenty of weapons on offense, but Fant brings a unique dynamic and opens up more of their playbook. Fant is expected to practice for the first time on Saturday night.