The Player
In 2013, Tyler Eifert was a first-round tight end who was the missing piece to helping Andy Dalton and the Bengals get over the playoff hump. Three years later, and Eifert is just trying to stay on the field while Andy Dalton and the Bengals still haven't won a playoff game.
Coming out of Notre Dame it was obvious that Eifert had the ability to be the next great tight end, but his rookie year was a bit of a disappointment (as if often the case for rookies at that position) and he posted just 39 receptions and a pair of touchdowns.
He came out of the gate strong in 2014, with 3 receptions for 37 yards in the first quarter of the regular season opener, but a dislocated elbow ended his season just moments after that fantastic start.
Now fully recovered, Eifert is the type of athlete who can easily produce as a top tier tight end in an NFL starved for talent at the position:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Bnch | Vert | Broad | 3Cone | 20 ss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kellen Winslow | 6' 4" | 247 | 4.62 | 24 | 33½" | 120" | 6.71 | 4.1 |
| Todd Heap | 6' 5" | 252 | 4.68 | 22 | 32" | |||
| Tyler Eifert | 6' 5" | 250 | 4.68 | 22 | 35½" | 119" | 6.92 | 4.32 |
| Julius Thomas | 6' 5" | 246 | 4.64 | 16 | 35½" | 111" | 6.96 | 4.31 |
| Rob Gronkowski | 6' 6" | 258 | 4.68 | 23 | 33½" | 119" | 7.18 | 4.47 |
His closest comparison is Todd Heap, a talented (and oft-injured) player who was a consistent mismatch for defenses down the field. If Eifert can approach that level of ability in this more potent Bengals attack, he can definitely emerge as the next great weapon at that position.
He has the size, speed and leaping ability to make plays down the field as well as in the red zone, and can definitely be a big target in an offense desperate for an effective receiver to take pressure off of A.J. Green.
The Opportunity
The 2014 Bengals were a team devastated by injuries to its receiving core. As a result, Dallton's passing yards dropped by almost 1,000 and his touchdowns decreased from 33 in 2013 to just 19 last season.
With his receiving targets all back to full health, Dalton should see his numbers begin to approach his career highs from 2013, especially with a more effective running game to take away some of the pressure.
While Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu are nice complimentary players, neither possess the talent that Eifert has at his position, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him have the second most targets on the team in 2015. This is especially true now that Jermaine Gresham is out of the picture.
While health will be key, Eifert is currently being drafted as the 18th tight end off the board (169th overall), and he clearly has the ability to prove worth that cheap investment.