Tag: C.J. Uzomah

2022 NFL free agency: Jets to sign TE C.J. Uzomah

The Jets are adding former Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah on a three-year, $24 million deal.

Zach Wilson will have a new tight end in 2022.

The Jets are signing Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah to a three-year, $24 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Uzomah, 29, put together a career year in 2021 with 49 receptions, 493 yards and five receiving touchdowns.

He added 15 receptions for 146 yards and a score during the Bengals’ postseason run.

Uzomah fills an obvious need for the Jets as a 6-foot-6, 260-pound, pass-catching tight end. He also finished 2021 with a 70.6 pass-blocking Pro Football Focus grade, which was 19th in the league. Uzomah also forced 13 missed tackles, per PFF, which was the fifth-most among tight ends.

The Jets needed tight end help badly after finishing 2021 with the quartet of Ryan Griffin, Tyler Kroft, Kenny Yeboah and Daniel Brown. Now they’ll have a quality starting tight end who can elevate the offense beyond the team’s previous options.

New York could add another tight end this offseason, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

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Bengals to lose TE C.J. Uzomah to Jets in free agency

Uzomah heads for the Big Apple.

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The Cincinnati Bengals will lose a core piece of the Super Bowl run with tight end C.J. Uzomah agreeing to a deal with the New York Jets.

Uzomah will get three years and $24 million with the Jets, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Bengals wanted to get Uzomah back, both for his locker room leadership and productivity on the field. But the massive escalation of the tight end market this offseason made that unfeasible.

Uzomah, a fifth-round pick by the Bengals in 2015, emerged from the depths of the depth chart to have a big role in recent seasons, culminating in his 49 catches for 493 yards and five touchdowns this past season. He, among other notable moments, powered back from an injury early to play in the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati opted to use some of its big money on the first day of the legal tampering window by signing big names along the offensive line and core defensive pieces.

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9 free agent TEs the Colts should consider in 2022

Taking a look at 9 TEs the Colts should consider in free agency this offseason.

The Indianapolis Colts enter the offseason with the tight end position being one of the biggest question marks on the roster in 2022.

Given the chance of veteran Jack Doyle retiring with one year left on his contract and the fact that Mo Alie-Cox is set to be a free agent, the Colts may have a lot of work to do at tight end.

Now, there’s always the chance that Doyle runs it back for one more season. And the Colts have expressed interest in re-signing Alie-Cox. So the room could look the same, more or less, going into 2022 with Kylen Granson entering his second season as the H-back.

But that shouldn’t stop the Colts from pursuing better options at the position if they become available. While Doyle and Alie-Cox are solid blockers, the tight end room was not nearly productive enough in the passing game. The entire group recorded 64 receptions for 724 yards and seven touchdowns.

We know the Colts won’t overspend in free agency but fortunately for them, the options that are likely available don’t appear to be ones that will break the bank.

Here are nine tight ends the Colts should consider signing in free agency in 2022:

Be sure to check out our free agency pieces on other positions!

  • Offensive Tackle (link)

Zac Taylor offers updates on Joe Burrow’s injury, C.J. Uzomah

Some small updates on two of the team’s most notable injuries.

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After netting a big-time extension, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor provided key injury updates on big names.

On quarterback Joe Burrow, Taylor confirmed reports of a knee sprain that won’t need surgery to fix. It’s a sprained MCL in his right knee and will take typical rehab that won’t impact his offseason too much.

Taylor also updated Burrow’s pesky pinky injury, which he played through the entire postseason. That dislocation also won’t need surgery.

There was also an update on starting tight end C.J. Uzomah, who came back weeks early and played 80 percent of the snaps in the Super Bowl on his MCL sprain.

“That’s a four-to-eight week injury,’ Taylor said. “The fact he came back from it in two speaks to his toughness and character.”

So in all, good news all around, especially considering how brutal it is to hear the mic’d up footage of Burrow’s knee injury during the Super Bowl.

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Seahawks should be watching these 4 pending free agents in Super Bowl LVI

Here are four pending free agents who the Seahawks should be watching closely as the Rams and Bengals play in Super Bowl LVI tonight.

It’s a long-standing NFL tradition for free agents that just played in the Super Bowl to sign lucrative deals with other teams. While that doesn’t always work out well for his new team, there are usually a few legitimate stars that are worth paying extra attention to during the big game.

Here are four pending free agents who the Seahawks should be watching closely as the Rams and Bengals play in Super Bowl LVI tonight.

Pending free agents on Super Bowl LVI teams for Titans to consider

A look at some players from both Super Bowl LVI teams the Titans could consider in free agency.

While the Tennessee Titans can’t officially sign anyone until the new league year begins on March 16, I’m certain a list of players to target in free agency is being formed internally.

On Sunday, the 2021 season will officially come to a conclusion with the Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengal and Los Angeles Rams.

After that, the proverbial wheel in motion begins with the NFL Combine, the start of free agency, the NFL draft, and then organized team activities — all leading up to next year’s training camp.

The Titans have several key free agents to re-sign this offseason, including center Ben Jones and outside linebacker Harold Landry. Tennessee may have to get creative to retain both thanks to their being over the cap to start the offseason.

That said, several players rostered on the Bengals and Rams ahead of Super Bowl LVI could be realistic targets once the free agency period opens. Here’s a look at some of them.

C.J. Uzomah one of the most important players in Super Bowl LVI

C.J. Uzomah can be a difference maker for the Bengals.

Former Auburn Tiger C.J. Uzomah may have suffered a knee injury in the AFC Championship game but he could be one of the Bengals most important players in Super Bowl LVI.

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire ranked Uzomah as the 24th most important player in the game. That makes him the 11th most important Bengal.

What Farrar said…

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

“Ja’Marr Chase is the Bengals’ headline guy among Burrow’s targets, but don’t underestimate Uzomah’s potential impact in this game — or the potential impact of his absence should be not be able to go.”

Uzomah played just nine snaps before he hurt his knee against the Chiefs and his return would give the Bengal’s another great receiving option. He has caught 49 passes for 491 yards and five touchdowns this season for the Bengals. Setting career-highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns.

He made headlines earlier this week when he said he would take a bath in Skyline Chili if the Bengals won the game.

In his four years at Auburn, Uzomah caught  29 passes for 435 yards and seven touchdowns.

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C.J. Uzomah, Jackson Carman upgraded on Bengals’ 2nd Super Bowl injury report

Big news for the Bengals before the Super Bowl.

Things look up for a pair of key Cincinnati Bengals players in Super Bowl LVI.

Staring down an unpredictable contest with the Los Angeles Rams, the Bengals weren’t sure if they’d have tight end C.J. Uzomah and rookie guard Jackson Carman.

Thursday’s injury report suggests they will.

That second Super Bowl report upgraded both guys (Uzomah to “limited” and Carman to “full”), marking the first time Uzomah’s practiced since suffering a knee injury in the AFC title game.

Uzomah, who said he won’t miss the biggest game of his life, figures to go limited again before being in his usual No. 1 TE spot for the Super Bowl. Carman, a second-round rookie, replaced Hakeem Adeniji in the AFC title game and struggled at times, but also had a key block on a big touchdown.

Barring a shocking change on the final injury report on Friday, both guys should be able to go.

And for Uzomah, besides the obvious, it’s a big deal because he said he’ll take a swim in Skyline Chili if the Bengals win. 

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C.J. Uzomah’s headed for a Skyline Chili bath if Bengals win Super Bowl

C.J. Uzomah sounds like he’s…feeling good and hungry.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah says he’s doing everything he can to play in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams as he works his way back from a knee injury suffered in the AFC title game.

He also says he’ll jump in a bath or pool of Skyline chili if the Bengals win.

Speaking with reporters ahead of the Super Bowl, Uzomah said he’ll bathe in the local (delicious!) Cincinnati chili, or even dive into a pool of it and “eat his way out,” albeit in swimming trunks.

This might’ve flown under the radar were it not, well, the Super Bowl. Big accounts like Adam Schefter picked it up, so Uzomah’s not going to be able to back out of this.

ESPN’s Ben Baby captured the moment:

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C.J. Uzomah on Super Bowl: ‘I’m not missing the biggest game of my life’

Big statement from the Bengals TE before the Super Bowl.

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A cloud of doubt hangs over whether Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah will be on the field during the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams.

Just don’t tell Uzomah that.

As part of the Super Bowl media session on Monday, the veteran tight end dropped a dramatic quote that says quite a bit about where things stand, per Marisa Contipelli of the team’s official website:

“It’s the Super Bowl, I’m doing everything I can… I’m not missing the biggest game of my life.”

This comes on the heels of head coach Zac Taylor saying a few days prior that Uzomah would do light work over the weekend before they ramp him up a bit during the week.

Even if it comes down to Uzomah being a game-time decision, it’s safe to expect he’ll give it a go, barring a setback this week. The offense desperately misses him as a safety valve in the middle of the field.

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