Bengals poach back a familiar face from NFC team, but it signals discouraging news for another
Nearly two months after getting cut, Cam Grandy is back with the Cincinnati Bengals and has a real chance to play this year. The circumstances of his return, however, are familiar and unfortunate.
The Cincinnati Bengals are bringing back tight end Cam Grandy.
Per WLWT’s Charlie Clifford, Cincinnati is signing Grandy off of the Minnesota Vikings practice squad.
Grandy spent the first two years of his NFL career with the Bengals, playing 13 games with the club from 2024-25. He was waived during final cuts back in August, and chose to sign with the Vikings on their practice squad in hopes of seeing the field via elevations. Instead, he had stayed on the practice squad through the first seven weeks of the year.
Nearly two months later, Grandy is back in Cincinnati with a real chance to play this year. The circumstances, however, are familiar and unfortunate.
Erick All Jr.’s latest injury brings back Cam Grandy
The Bengals lost TE Erick All Jr. to yet another knee injury during Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens. All was seen in distress walking off the field under his own power after Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith fell on his right knee while tackling him. He was soon declared out of the game.
Grandy’s signing will need to be coupled with a corresponding roster move. All going to the Reserve/Injured list is the expected move with another tight end coming into the picture.
All suffered a torn ACL during his final year in college at Iowa in 2023. The injury helped him fall to the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft when the Bengals selected him. He then re-tore the same ACL right in the middle of his rookie season, causing him to miss the entirety of the following season.
It was that injury that first brought Grandy onto the field in 2024. He was also a rookie, an undrafted free agent signing out of Illinois State. He played well enough as an in-line blocker to make the team again in 2025. It’s what gave him a chance to make this year’s initial 53-man roster.
All’s health allow them to move on then. Now they’re back to where they were two years ago.
Grandy will give Cincinnati four TEs on its roster heading into Week 8. Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki remain the starting tandem. Rookie Jack Endries, one of the clubs two seventh-round picks, will now be joined by Grandy as their backups. Rookie UDFA Josh Kattus is also still on the practice squad.
