(08-02-2025, 11:44 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Wow

That is a great value contract.

Awesome job FO

Still plenty of money left to extend Trey already in 2025 cap

"Hopefully I can earn his (Joe's) trust and earn the team's trust and do some great things out there."

Noah Fant spoke with the media ahead of tonight's practice and is looking forward to working with Joe Burrow and being a part of this #Bengals offense. pic.twitter.com/yqgjOUehvD

— Regan Holgate (@HolgateRegan) August 2, 2025

(08-02-2025, 03:44 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Yep it's a great deal and a quality signing. I'd say it's probably my favorite signing of an outside FA this year. Close 2nd for Slaton.

(08-02-2025, 05:55 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Me, too. Those 2 plus Patrick and Burks are the outside FA's who will see the most snaps. And the only ones who could start. Slaton will for sure, but he will be a 2 down guy often times. Knight might be the same. I could see more of Burks/Carter on 3rd. Or another DB. Perine at RB2 if he beats Brooks out. 

I think Fant will be the "starter" at TE, or at least the guy who gets the most snaps. 

(08-02-2025, 02:54 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Surprised the Fins didn't offer Noah more than that. Great value for us and he is younger than Mike.

We will see how they do this year, I would like Noah for more than just one year, I don't think he has sniffed his potential in the NFL.

Love those Iowa TE's, they know how to play football and Noah Fant is an athlete.

(08-03-2025, 09:15 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: The more I think about Fant being signed, the more optimistic I am our offense will take a nice step forward. He has the ability to impact more than the pssing game (Gesicki) and he being paired with Gesicki is a night and day difference then Gesiki with Sample. He also has taken snaps in the backfield so on emore blocker for Burrow if they are in maximum protectiion.

Our OL needs to step and be better, but I would argue so do our TE's and RB's in pass protection. I am very optimistic for our offense. If Yoshi and or Burton take huge steps, this offense can be scary good in 2025.

(08-03-2025, 09:19 AM)Synric Wrote: Drew Sample will likely still see the majority of the snaps by a small percentage. I expect a heavy rotation between Sample, Fant, and Gesicki similar to what we seen with Sample, All, and Gesicki.

(08-02-2025, 08:30 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Well...don't be surprised if they work Fant into more snaps as the season goes on. I have a hard time believing they'll put him in front of Sample--be nice if they did--from the get go. That's not how they usually do things...but i guess we'll see. 

(08-03-2025, 09:40 AM)LebanonFan Wrote: He looked noticeably bigger and faster than all of our TEs running up the seams at the stadium practice

(08-02-2025, 02:54 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Surprised the Fins didn't offer Noah more than that. Great value for us and he is younger than Mike.

We will see how they do this year, I would like Noah for more than just one year, I don't think he has sniffed his potential in the NFL.

Love those Iowa TE's, they know how to play football and Noah Fant is an athlete.

(08-03-2025, 01:46 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Maybe they did, and Fant just decided that he'd rather work with Burrow and the Bengals offense? I mean if he meets his incentives, he'll make $4.75M, I can't see the Dolphins or many other teams going significantly higher than that.

(08-03-2025, 03:32 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Keep in mind that if the Dolphins also offered the same $4.75m, that actually would be more than what we offered even if he hits all his incentives here. No income tax in Florida is a legit advantage.

Best I can tell between Cincinnati/Hamilton County/Ohio he's paying an extra 5.6% income tax (on top of the federal that applies to both Ohio and Florida). On $4.75m that would roughly be around a $266,000 difference.

- - - - -

I agree it's probably knowing he'll both catch passes from Burrow and get paid big next offseason because he's better than Uzomah and Hurst who both got good money after being here that's the big decider for him. (Plus a better chance at winning than with the Dolphins probably doesn't hurt.)

(08-03-2025, 11:03 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Sample sucks. He isn't even that good anymore at the only thing he's ever been good at. I am not convinced Grandy isn't a better blocker right now. 

The sooner he is relegated to a more proper TE3/TE4 role, the better we will be. But with Gesicki/Hudson so one dimensional, he will still get a lot of work.

But I agree, Sample, Gesicki, & Fant will get the lion's share of the TE snaps. Hudson/Grandy will play less. Of course, nearly all of the Gesicki/Hudson snaps will be as a big slot and not in-line. And nearly all the Sample/Grandy will be the opposite, or at H-back. 

Sample also plays special teams where I doubt the others will. He'll get the most total snaps, but on offense, I like Fant. Narrowly.

(08-03-2025, 01:44 AM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Im guessing our offer wasn't beaten by enough and he chose to bet on himself this year. We've gotten TEs paid recently so its a smart bet in that regard. 

(08-03-2025, 11:03 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Sample sucks. He isn't even that good anymore at the only thing he's ever been good at. I am not convinced Grandy isn't a better blocker right now. 

The sooner he is relegated to a more proper TE3/TE4 role, the better we will be. But with Gesicki/Hudson so one dimensional, he will still get a lot of work.

But I agree, Sample, Gesicki, & Fant will get the lion's share of the TE snaps. Hudson/Grandy will play less. Of course, nearly all of the Gesicki/Hudson snaps will be as a big slot and not in-line. And nearly all the Sample/Grandy will be the opposite, or at H-back. 

Sample also plays special teams where I doubt the others will. He'll get the most total snaps, but on offense, I like Fant. Narrowly.

(08-03-2025, 01:46 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Maybe they did, and Fant just decided that he'd rather work with Burrow and the Bengals offense? I mean if he meets his incentives, he'll make $4.75M, I can't see the Dolphins or many other teams going significantly higher than that.

(08-03-2025, 04:06 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: No he doesn't suck, you just don't like him.

He is stiff and slow as a pass catcher, but he still is far and away the best blocker on the team and a solid lockerroom guy: I said 2 years ago he'd be here for another 5 at minimum at he has 3 to go.

1 of Hudson/Grandy will be on PS and Grandy is absolutely NOT a better inline or pass blocker. Maybe out in space he's better than Sample, but that would be it.

(08-03-2025, 11:03 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Sample sucks. He isn't even that good anymore at the only thing he's ever been good at. I am not convinced Grandy isn't a better blocker right now. 

The sooner he is relegated to a more proper TE3/TE4 role, the better we will be. But with Gesicki/Hudson so one dimensional, he will still get a lot of work.

But I agree, Sample, Gesicki, & Fant will get the lion's share of the TE snaps. Hudson/Grandy will play less. Of course, nearly all of the Gesicki/Hudson snaps will be as a big slot and not in-line. And nearly all the Sample/Grandy will be the opposite, or at H-back. 

Sample also plays special teams where I doubt the others will. He'll get the most total snaps, but on offense, I like Fant. Narrowly.