Bengals Player Profile: Tanner Hudson is back again to teach these young tight ends how it’s done
Never count out the Cincinnati Bengals keeping tight end Tanner Hudson. He’s developed a reliable rapport with quarterback Joe Burrow, and is the ideal backup for Mike Gesicki.
We’re 47 days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Every day leading up to the end of the preseason and final cuts, we’ll profile one member of the Bengals’ 90-man roster. Check out previous player profiles here.
Up next in the countdown is a veteran who has made an unlikely home in Cincinnati.
Tanner Hudson Player Profile
Age: 31
Year: 7th
Position: Tight end
College: Southern Arkansas
Jersey Number: 87
Tanner Hudson was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2018 NFL Draft. Prior to the NFL, Hudson played four years in college at Southern Arkansas (2014-17), hauling in 143 receptions for 2152 yards and 25 touchdowns in 43 career games.
Hudson spent a few years with Tampa Bay, winning a ring in 2020, and spent time with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants before the Bengals added him to their practice squad during the 2022 season. He nearly made the team in 2023, but was elevated several times from the practice squad that season. He’s played in 38 games for Cincinnati over the last three years, signing one-year deals in each of the last three offseasons to stick around as a key depth piece in the TE room.
Contract details
Hudson signed a one-year, $1,350,000 contract to stay with the Bengals very early in the offseason. His base salary for 2026 is $1.3 million. He also earned a $50,000 signing bonus, adding up to $1.35 million in cash this year. His salary cap hit, however, is just $1.125 million. Hudson qualified for a Veteran Savings Benefit deal, meaning his cap hit is the minimum for a player with his accrued years of experience.
Roster outlook
Never count out the Bengals keeping Hudson. That’s a lesson I’ve learned over the years. He’s developed a reliable rapport with quarterback Joe Burrow, and is the ideal backup for Mike Gesicki.
That doesn’t mean Hudson won’t be feeling the heat this summer. Behind him on the depth chart are Cam Grandy, who’s become valuable for his blocking, and Jack Endries, a rookie seventh-rounder who is certainly more talented than his draft status would indicate.
Cincinnati has kept five TEs before, and Hudson has secured a spot in each of the last two cut-downs to 53. The safe money is on him staying around, at the cost of someone much younger.
Roster odds: 65%