Hayden Hurst hasn't shied away from expressing his love for Cincinnati.
The hurdling, tackle breaking Bengals tight end once said early last season that he felt like he "died and went to heaven" after scoring his first ever touchdown as a Bengal. In just his first season with Cincinnati, he delivered an immediate impact and built a strong relationship with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor.
After four seasons with two different teams, Hurst had the best year of his career, finishing with 52 receptions, 414 receiving yards and two touchdowns. That almost doubling his output from his first two combined years with the Baltimore Ravens.
However, Hurst is a free agent and he increased his market value with his breakout season in Cincinnati. Although he's expressed his desire to be with the Bengals, he's almost 30 and could see other offers from other franchises.
Will he chose to remain with the Bengals for peace of mind, even with a slightly lesser deal?
Hurst is far from the only tight end entering free agency. Drew Sample and Mitchell Wilcox will both be free agents this offseason. Sample, who went on the injured reserve with a season-ending injury last year, has battled injuries. Wilcox, meanwhile, rose from an undrafted practice squad reserve to a starting tight end in place of an injured Hurst at times.
The tight end position is one where the Bengals will have a lot of questions to answer relative to other areas on their roster. Do they try to replace either of three in free agency? If not, how will they attack this April's NFL Draft to spot a future face in Cincinnati? Aside from the talk of Cincinnati local phenom-turned Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, a bevy of talented ends will be in this year's draft.
The Strictly Stripes crew weighs on in Hurst's impact and the likelihood that he remains in Cincinnati. Based on that potential outcome, they explain what that means for Wilcox and Sample and how the Bengals should select a possible replacement for either of three should they leave.
This podcast features Mohammad Ahmad and Michael Niziolek.
Music: Starfields by Hallman
Music Link: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/nQ9ldbVF7D/
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