‘That’s definitely a known thing’ — Noah Fant understands exactly why signing with Bengals can pay off for him in a big way
If the story of the Cincinnati Bengals centers around quarterback Joe Burrow and his star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, then tight ends of the offense have been a fascinating subplot.C.J. Uzomah was already here when Burrow was drafted, but he turned one three-year contract into another after shining during the 2021 season. […]
If the story of the Cincinnati Bengals centers around quarterback Joe Burrow and his star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, then tight ends of the offense have been a fascinating subplot.
C.J. Uzomah was already here when Burrow was drafted, but he turned one three-year contract into another after shining during the 2021 season. Hayden Hurst followed suit by earning a three-year deal of his own after replacing Uzomah in 2022. Irv Smith Jr. was a whiff in 2023, but Mike Gesicki wasn’t in 2024 and got his three-year contract from the Bengals instead of another team.
Three out of four ain’t bad, and Noah Fant knows he can make it four out of five.
Noah Fant can be the next Bengals TE to cash in
Fant’s arrival in Cincinnati last week differs compared to his past contemporaries. He wasn’t brought in because a starter was needed, nor is he competing against Gesicki to be the No. 1 option inside the tight end room, but recuperating his value is definitely on his mind.
The Seattle Seahawks released Fant two weeks ago. He was set to earn the remaining $9.51 million of his $21 million contract he signed back in 2024. He can only make a maximum of $4.25 million on his new one-year deal with the Bengals, but he knows more can come down the road by replicating what Uzomah, Hurst, and Gesicki managed to do in the last half-decade.
“That’s definitely a known thing,” Fant told The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. “Obviously that is one of the enticing things about coming here. Hopefully, I’m able to do so. First and foremost, help the team win. They have big dreams and aspirations here of winning the Super Bowl. I want to help do that and be part of a winning culture.”
Opportunity can be looked at in different ways. Fant is joining an offense that kept five TEs last season and could very well do so again this month. He now finds himself as TE3 on the team’s initial depth chart.. Gesicki is locked in as the feature player with Drew Sample handling starting duties as the traditional “Y” player.
Compared to other potential landing spots for Fant, Cincinnati may not give him the most snaps or targets. That he still chose Burrow and the Bengals suggests he’s taking a bet on recent history repeating itself again, and ensuring a promising opportunity for himself if things do play out in his favor.
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