|
|
In
an effort to give quarterback Andy Dalton more weapons
and take heat off two-time Pro Bowl
wide receiver A.J. Green, the
Bengals opted for Notre Dame junior Tyler Eifert with the 21st pick
in
Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft. Eifert is pictured with
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.
Photo courtesy of bengals.com
|
|
Bengals get a play-maker for Dalton
bengals.com
CINCINNATI- After an off-season the Bengals kept the NFL's sixth-best
defense intact, their first blow in the NFL Draft Thursday night
secured a playmaker for an offense that didn't score a touchdown in its
playoff loss in Houston.
For the second time in four years the Bengals plucked the best tight
end off the board at No. 21 in Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert
and plan to team him with two-time Pro Bowl tight end Jermaine
Gresham in double tight-end sets that they hope terrorize
defenses with explosive versatility and takes heat off quarterback Andy
Dalton and two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green.
"He’s a guy that we felt that we would hopefully be considering — one
of the guys we’d have an opportunity to be considering,” said head
coach Marvin Lewis.
The 6-5, 250-pound Eifert can help transform the Bengals offense from a
Green-centric set into a more varied array that potentially mismatches
defenses into confusion. Even though there was no announcement in the
Andre Smith stalemate, the Eifert pick lightened the mood on
offense.
"It's an exciting time for the offense," said offensive coordinator Jay
Gruden. "I'm sure Andy is happy. Make Andy happy."
The Bengals weren't supposed to get that offensive firepower for
Dalton-Green until they started hunting for a running back in Friday
night's second round, but Eifert slipped past the top 20 in a bit of a
surprise. They found themselves looking at two slides in Eifert and
Florida defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, but it appeared they quickly
went with their highest-rated player.
A safety would have been nice, but the 49ers jumped up in a trade with
the Cowboys at No. 18 with some of their 2,000 picks to take LSU's Eric
Reid. The Bengals had their shot at Alabama running back Eddie Lacy,
but they opted for Eifert's 6-6, 255-pound athleticism and jump-ball
ability that comes from a 35-inch vertical leap that netted him 113
catches for a 13.2-yard average over the past two seasons that included
nine touchdowns.
"It's a great deal; it's an interesting deal," Gruden said. "The thing
about it is if we throw the ball effectively out of it and they want to
put an extra (defensive back) in there, we can run the ball because
we've got (bigger) people in there."
The Bengals very well could get one of those guys to run the ball with
their next pick, which is early Friday, thanks to the Carson Palmer
trade. The Bengals pick fifth and for the first time in 50 years all
running backs are available at the start of the second round.
But they added to their offensive arsenal earlier than expected.
Eifert, who eschewed the New York City spotlight to stay at his Fort
Wayne, Ind., home with family and friends, admitted he was a bit
surprised to go to a team that had a two-time Pro Bowl tight end.
"We do our little mock drafts in our head," Eifert said. "Who needs the
position we are. I was a bit surprised, but (tight ends) Coach (Jon)
Hayes worked me out at the combine and my pro day and we have a good
relationship.
"I think (Gresham and I) are very similar players. Cause mismatches and
get down the field, but we also put our hand in the dirt and block. I'm
excited to have the opportunity to play next to him."
And that's the plan. Although Gresham has struggled at times and had a
terrible game in the playoff loss, he's still viewed at Paul Brown
Stadium as a legit NFL playmaker and is the starter while Eifert is a
backup with veteran Alex Smith figuring to have the edge as the No. 3
tight end. That could mean last year's backup tight end, Orson Charles,
a fourth-rounder last April, is ticketed to some type of H-Back if the
Bengals opt not to carry a fullback.
What makes the Bengals extremely happy is they're getting a bright guy
that played every imaginable position last year for head coach Brian
Kelly's dizzying uptempo offense.
"I lined up at every single position except quarterback," Eifert said
of the skill spots. "I was never in the backfield, but I was where our
running back would be the way our personnel would be. I was the running
back, the Y, the X, the Z the W."
For this story and more, click here
|
|
|
|
