Tag: Drew Sample

Ravens vs. Bengals: Top photos from Baltimore’s 41-38 win in overtime at Paycor Stadium

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paycor Stadium in Week 5

Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Jackson fumble but could not win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Joe Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

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Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

After a week of pundits and experts questioning Joe Burrow’s demise, the former LSU star put the NFL back on notice with a dominant, five-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium.

Still, it wasn’t enough, as Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Lamar Jackosn fumble but were unable to win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

Baltimore used a big Derrick Henry run to get into field goal position, and Justin Tucker’s 24 field goals gave the Ravens their third straight win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores against a Ravens secondary full of first-round picks and high-paid defenders.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

After a slow start, Derrick Henry finished things with a bang, rushing for 91 yards on 15 carries, with one rushing touchdown.

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Bengals re-sign TE Drew Sample to 3-year deal

The Bengals bring back a key part of the offense.

The Cincinnati Bengals have brought back tight end Drew Sample on a three-year contract.

Cincinnati announced the move on Monday, not long after free agency’s legal-tampering period opened.

It’s an anticipated move for a Bengals team that spent a second-round pick on Sample and has utilized him as a key blocker in the offense. The team wants to develop more under-center and varied looks in Joe Burrow’s offense, so getting his skill set back in the fold was one of the many expected moves this offseason.

That said, the fact it’s a three-year deal is a mild surprise. Cincinnati entered that tampering period with zero tight ends on the roster, so Tanner Hudson and others could be back soon, too, before the team adds more outside veterans and/or rookies.

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5 TEs the Colts should target in 2024 free agency

Which TEs should the Colts target in free agency?

The tight end position for the Indianapolis Colts is a bit in flux entering free agency and the 2024 offseason.

Starter Mo Alie-Cox hasn’t proven to be a difference-maker while his run-blocking abilities seem to have plateaued. Kylen Granson is a nice H-back and receiving option to have. Jelani Woods missed the entire season due to a hamstring injury, and Andrew Ogletree’s future with the team is in serious question after being placed on the Comissioner Exempt List.

Rookie Will Mallory showed some upside as a receiver, but he didn’t factor much into the plans for the majority of the season.

Though drafting a tight end may certainly be on the docket for Indy, adding a viable veteran in free agency is an option as well. Finding a true Y tight end who can run block with consistency while adding some upside as a receiver should be the objective.

This position isn’t a major need for the Colts, but it would help the development of young quarterback Anthony Richardson.

We should note that we understand a some of these players won’t even hit the market, but we’re working under the hypothetical scenario that they become available, regardless of how slim the chances are.

Here are five free-agent tight ends the Colts should target in 2024:

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: AFC North Edition

Listing one free agent from the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Bengals who could be a fit for the Chargers.

The Chargers won’t be aggressive when it comes to signing free agents, as they’re currently $35 million over the projected salary cap.

While they’re cash-strapped, general manager Joe Hortiz will make some moves to have some spendings available to them so they can sign some.

That said, I will list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A.

Next up is the AFC North.

Bengals make late additions to final Vikings vs. Bengals injury report

The Bengals added two names to the injury report before kickoff.

The Cincinnati Bengals looked about as healthy as it gets for a mid-December game on the final injury report before the team’s Week 15 encounter with the Minnesota Vikings.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, though, the team had to update the final injury report the day after it was issued, adding offensive lineman Jackson Carman and tight end Drew Sample to the list as “questionable” due to illnesses.

While Carman is merely deep depth, Sample missing the game would he quite the setback for the offense.

That new-look offense that is confusing defenses hinges a lot of its pass protection and run-game success on Sample’s blocking ability, so the team will have to hope that whatever’s ailing the tight end clears up by kickoff time on Saturday.

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Watch: Jake Browning hits Drew Sample for TD to put Bengals up over Steelers

Jake Browning leads the Bengals to a TD.

The Cincinnati Bengals scored the first touchdown of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second quarter.

There, Jake Browning — starting in place of the injured Joe Burrow — sold a fake well and hit Drew Sample, who barreled over Mitchell Wilcox to put the Bengals up 7-3.

It was an ugly first quarter overall for the offense, but a big kickoff return from Trayveon Williams and a Ja’Marr Chase catch off a deflected pass put the Bengals in good field position.

Notably, the Bengals stuck to their word about running the same exact offense and that included going repeatedly to the pass in the redzone, resulting in the score.

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Bengals 2023 player profile for TE Drew Sample

A 2023 profile for Bengals TE Drew Sample.

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The Cincinnati Bengals again experienced some turnover at the tight end position this offseason.

One of those moves, though, was retaining former second-round pick Drew Sample, who again slots nicely into the depth chart as a key player.

 

Experience: 5 years (Round 2, 2019)

Age: 27

College:  Washington

2022 PFF Grade: 52.3

Numbers to Know: 58 career catches, 458 yards.

Resume and Outlook: Sample is key in the sense he’s a fantastic pass-blocker for the position. The question is whether the scheme uses him all that much in 2023 given how predictable it can make things — or if he develops as a late-bloomer into a more potent receiving threat. As it stands, he’s at least ahead of schedule on his injury comeback and ready to put in work during training camp, competing with and alongside new arrival Irv Smith Jr. and others.

Highlights:

 

Other 2023 Bengals player profiles: 

Position Name
OL Jaxson Kirkland
DE Tarell Basham
RB Chris Evans
DE Jeff Gunter
P Brad Robbins
LB Jaylen Moody
TE Drew Sample

 

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Bengals TE Drew Sample making faster injury comeback than expected

Good news for the Bengals on the injury front.

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Defensive centerpiece DJ Reader might be dealing with a minor injury before training camp, but the Cincinnati Bengals did get some good news on the injury front this week.

Tight end Drew Sample, expected to receive clearance by training camp later this summer, already has said clearance to return, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Sample appeared in just two games last season and the team brought him back this offseason on a one-year deal.

The former second-round pick’s quick return from an injury is good for player and team — tight end was one of the positions least addressed by the team this offseason, with Irv Smith Jr. the notable name presumed to take over the No. 1 spot left vacant by Hayden Hurst’s departure.

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Bengals talk about Drew Sample’s return to TE room

Bengals coaches are happy to get Drew Sample back.

The Cincinnati Bengals brought back Drew Sample in free agency and hope the former second-round pick can keep ascending.

Bengals tight ends coach James Casey, also a fifth-round pick (2009), recently explained why the fifth year is often a critical point for tight ends in the NFL.

“Ascending players,” Casey said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “From personal experience (his fifth season), that’s when I felt like, ‘I’ve got the confidence. I’ve got the understanding. Now I can really cut it loose.’ Tight end is so hard to learn. The pass game. The run game. Special teams. So many nuances. When you know the basics, you can now focus on the things you need to be really good.”

It’s no secret tight end is one of the tougher positions to learn in the NFL (just look at the track record of first-round TEs over the last decade).

What’s interesting is whether Sample will get a chance to blossom out of his block-heavy role. The team added Irv Smith Jr. in free agency and could draft the position as high as the first round.

Even so, Casey’s comments are interesting and worth keeping in mind should Sample play a bigger role in the offense than expected in 2023.

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