Bengals bolster offense with reported addition of veteran tight end

The Cincinnati Bengals have been on the prowl for more talent as they look to capitalize on the talents of Joe Burrow and an elite wide receiver corps and return to the Super Bowl.

Those efforts have led the team to add another talented player to the receiver room. According to Adam Schefter via X, the Cincinnati Bengals are signing tight end Noah Fant. 

The former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos spent the first three years of his career in Denver before being shipped to Seattle as part of the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade. Fant posted at least 562 yards and three touchdowns in each of his three seasons in Denver before the move to Seattle.

In Seattle, Fant's numbers dropped across the board, and he finished his final season with 500 yards and only one touchdown. He posted just five TDs in three seasons with the Seahawks after notching 10 scores in Denver. Among a crowded tight end room, Fant struggled to find his place. Seattle's decision to draft University of Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo with the 50th pick in the 2025 draft ultimately ended Fant's career in Seattle. 

With that being said, Fant still has a lot in the tank. Just 27 years old, Fant will look to get back to, and perhaps exceed, the production he posted in Denver.

Entering one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the NFL, led by Burrow, Fant should get plenty of opportunities to succeed. The 6'4" dynamo will provide Burrow with a weapon across the middle of the field and someone he can trust on later downs. 

Despite the tight end room already featuring former Miami Dolphin Mike Gesicki, Fant will join the team in training camp looking to earn regular-season reps. 

No matter who wins the battle for TE1, Fant provides excellent insurance for the tight end room. He has been the epitome of durability across his NFL career, missing just five games across six seasons, and can give consistent efforts in the blocking game. Additionally, if the Bengals choose to do so, the potential for two-tight end sets maximizing the abilities of both tight ends is now on the table. 

The Bengals boast one of the most lethal offenses in the NFL, and it has only gotten better. Fant will join a dominant cast of receivers that will put fear into opposing defenses. While the defense remains a question, the addition of Fant further emphasizes the potential for a top-of-the-league offense.