The Cincinnati Bengals will use their bye week to decide how much they can ask of rookie tight end Jack Endries after tight end Tanner Hudson suffered a pectoral injury in Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins. Locked On Bengals co-host Jake Liscow said Hudson’s injury is expected to end his season, creating an immediate opening for Endries to take on a larger offensive role.
Hudson’s value went beyond his receiving production. Liscow said he had become the offense’s bridge between under-center packages and shotgun looks, supplying enough route-running ability to create favorable matchups while improving as a run blocker. That versatility became more important as Cincinnati worked to expand its under-center play-action game.
Locked On Bengals co-host Joe Goodberry said Hudson’s work against Miami challenged the usual perception of him as a receiving-only tight end. Goodberry pointed to Pro Football Focus grading that he said showed Hudson with the position group’s best positive run-block rate this season, while also avoiding a negatively graded run-block snap.
Endries has the college blocking background to offer a version of that role. Liscow said the rookie repeatedly reached linebackers and finished enough blocks on tape to stay viable in the run game, while his receiving ability was the more established part of his profile entering the NFL. The question is whether he is ready to translate both elements into meaningful offensive snaps.
The seventh-round pick has played in two games, logging one offensive snap and 19 special teams snaps. Cincinnati’s next game comes at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. Endries can take more practice reps before Cincinnati decides whether to elevate him; lean more heavily on Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Erick All Jr.; or seek outside help.
Bengals News and Notes
– The Bengals claimed linebacker Jack Kiser from the Jacksonville Jaguars and placed linebacker Swayze Bozeman (forearm) on injured reserve. Kiser played under defensive coordinator Al Golden at Notre Dame, but Liscow viewed the 26-year-old as depth and a potential special teams replacement rather than a challenger for Barrett Carter or Demetrius Knight Jr.
– Liscow and Goodberry made defensive correction the top bye-week priority. They said missed tackles have fueled too many explosive runs, while motion, switch releases and communication errors have led to avoidable busts in the secondary coverage.
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