Not much has gone right lately for the Cincinnati Bengals, but at the very least, not all injury news is bad news.
On a positive front, things seem to be trending in the right direction with tight end Noah Fant. The seventh-year veteran, who sustained a concussion during a 48-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3, returned to full practice Thursday.
A day after being listed as limited, Fantâs upgraded status suggests he’s on track to play Sunday when the Detroit Lions visit Cincinnati.
Bengals’ Offense Sagging With Burrow Out
Fant did not practice all week leading up to Week 4, leading to Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample taking on bigger workloads at tight end. With quarterback Joe Burrow (turf toe) also out, the Bengals wound up producing just 159 total yards in an ugly 28-3 loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Bengals dropped to 2-2, and with Burrow not expected back anytime soon, things may get worse before they get better. Their next three opponents are a combined 8-3.
Jake Browning is averaging just 168.6 yards passing and has five interceptions compared to three touchdowns. Heâs also already been sacked seven times, including thrice in each of the last two weeks.
Burrow was placed on injured reserve following Week 2 and isnât expected back until at least the middle of December as he recovers from surgery. And thatâs assuming he has no setbacks.
Fant’s Presence Greatly Missed on Offense
Fant, 27, signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal with Cincinnati in free agency. He got off to a fast start with his new team as the No. 2 tight end to Gesicki, recording 12 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown over his first three games.
His presence has been greatly missed. Last week, Gesicki was limited to one catch for 8 yards while Sample was not even targeted. The Bengals rank dead last in the NFL in yards per game (205.3) and 30th in points per game (15.3).
While the offense may continue to suffer with Burrow out â Browningâs total QBR ranks 25th out of 32 eligible quarterbacks â Fantâs return at least gives the Bengals another steady option in the passing game.
Last season with the Seattle Seahawks, Fant had 48 catches for 500 yards and a touchdown. For his career, he has 312 receptions for 3,385 yards and 16 scores.
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