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Bengals’ Best Tight End Fix Has Been a Healthy Scratch All Season in Carolina
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- Bengals’ Best Tight End Fix Has Been a Healthy Scratch All Season in Carolina
Cincinnati has two tight ends on injured reserve, and one of the cheapest answers on the market hasn't suited up all year. ESPN's Bill Barnwell named Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders as a bargain target for the Bengals, a 2024 fourth-round pick who has been a healthy scratch for every game of the 2026 season.
The need is straightforward. Erick All Jr. went on IR with a feared torn ACL , and Tanner Hudson followed with a torn pectoral muscle, which led Cincinnati to add rookie Josh Kattus to the practice squad. In his look at what 18 contenders should do , Barnwell says any addition would rotate in with Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki.
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What Ja'Tavion Sanders could give Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jack Endries (84) celebrates a touchdown catch with tight end Mike Gesicki (88) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 8 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
Sanders opened his career well. He caught 33 passes for 342 yards and a touchdown in 16 games as a rookie, and Barnwell points out that his athleticism and run-after-catch ability stood out that year. His second season fell off to 29 catches for 190 yards in 13 games.
Carolina has since moved on. He was a healthy scratch again last Thursday night in Green Bay, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that he has fallen out of favor and might be had for a swap of Day 3 picks. We floated the Bengals as a fit back in September, when two AFC North teams were named as landing spots.
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Barnwell sees him as a receiving tight end to replace Hudson. Jack Endries caught a touchdown against Tennessee on Sunday, but with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins drawing coverage, one more tight end who can catch and run in the middle of the field would give Burrow another option on early downs.
Money isn't an issue. The Bengals have about $7.4 million in cap space, according to ESPN's Ben Baby, and Sanders is still on his rookie contract. That leaves room for a bigger move if Duke Tobin goes after a linebacker, where Barnwell's luxury idea is Eagles star Zack Baun.
At 5-2, the Bengals are off to their best start since 2021, the year they reached the Super Bowl. A late-round flier on a young tight end who has been stuck on the inactive list wouldn't change that ceiling much, but it would give Zac Taylor one more healthy body at a position that has been stretched by injuries .
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
