The Cincinnati Bengals are about to find out if the investment in Drew Sample was a wise one.
During Thursday night’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, starting tight end C.J. Uzomah went down with an injury. One could tell by his reaction and how quickly team ruled it out that he’d miss some extended time.
Not long after, reports confirmed Uzomah will miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The pressure on Sample, a surprise second-round pick in 2019 during Zac Taylor’s first draft, is officially on.
Sample got in nine games as a rookie and caught just five passes. The narrative about his blocking-only status started to change Thursday night though when he showed up second on the receiving chart by catching seven of his nine targets for 45 yards.
Given Joe Burrow’s shaky rapport with non-Tyler Boyd wideouts right now, Sample could quickly become a main fixture of the offense. It’s a chance for both he and Taylor to prove doubters wrong, to say the least.
Sample probably won’t be able to fill the incredible leadership gap Uzomah has commanded as of late. Few could. But if he can be a consistent target for a rookie passer, he can fil the role of safety net and help Burrow develop at a steady clip.
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