Sample tied a season-high with four catches in Saturday's Week 18 win over the Steelers, netting just 14 yards. For the season Sample caught 20 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown across 17 games.
Sample has been a blocking-first tight end for most of his career, dating back to his college days at the University of Washington. This season falls sharply in line with his career production.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Good to go against Pittsburgh
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Sample (groin) is active for Saturday's game against the Steelers.
Sample was expected to play in Saturday's regular-season finale despite missing practice all week due to a groin injury. Sample will serve as the Bengals' No. 2 tight end behind Mike Gesicki.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Expected to play against Steelers
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Sample (groin) is listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against Pittsburgh.
Head coach Zac Taylor relayed Thursday that Sample is expected to play despite missing practice all week due to a groin injury, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. In the five games since the Bengals' Week 12 bye, Sample has caught seven passes on as many targets for 44 yards while serving as the No. 2 tight end behind Mike Gesicki. Tanner Hudson would see an increased snap count on offense if Sample was limited in his playing time or ruled out entirely.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Managing groin injury
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Sample was deemed a non-participant in Tuesday's practice walkthrough due to a groin issue, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.
This is the first word of the tight end dealing with a groin issue, and it's currently unclear how severe the injury is. Sample handled about his usual workload this past Saturday against Denver, logging 51 offensive snaps and recording one catch on one target for three yards. Sample isn't typically a big part of the Bengals' air attack, but his effective blocking would be missed if he can't suit up Saturday versus Pittsburgh.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Leads position group in snaps Monday
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Sample was on the field for 49 of the Bengals' 71 snaps on offense and recorded two receptions for 13 yards on two targets in Monday's 27-20 win over the Cowboys.
Sample comfortably paced Bengals tight ends in playing time, logging more snaps than Mike Gesicki (20), Cam Grandy (17) and Tanner Hudson (14). While it's not out of the ordinary for Sample to lead the group in snaps, he functions primarily as a blocker when he's on the field and typically isn't as involved in the passing game compared to Gesicki and Hudson, both of whom have logged more targets, receptions and receiving yards on the season.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Two catches in Week 13 loss
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Sample recorded two receptions for eight yards on two targets in Sunday's 44-38 loss to the Steelers.
Sample's 39 snaps paced all Cincinnati tight ends, ranking ahead of Mike Gesicki (27), Tanner Hudson (12) and Cam Grandy (nine). Though he's now played more than half of Cincinnati's offensive snaps in each of the last four games, Sample brings most of his value as a blocker and isn't as involved in the passing game as Gesicki and Hudson. Sample has still managed to produce a 7-31-1 receiving line on eight targets over that four-game stretch, exceeding his combined output from the first eight weeks of the season (four catches for 28 yards and no touchdowns on five targets).
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Bengals' Drew Sample: No targets in Week 10
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Sample did not see any targets in Thursday's loss to the Ravens.
Sample had his best game of the season with four catches and a touchdown in Week 9 against Las Vegas, but he was back to being a non-factor Thursday. Meanwhile, Bengals No. 1 tight end Mike Gesicki caught four passes (on nine targets) for 30 yards against Baltimore, and Tanner Hudson notched six catches (on seven targets) for 42 yards and a touchdown. Sample did finish second among the team's tight ends with 46 offensive snaps, but with zero receptions in seven of his 10 contests this season, he can't be counted on for offensive production on a weekly basis.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Catches touchdown in win
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Sample hauled in all four of his targets for 14 yards and a touchdown during the Bengals' 41-24 win over the Raiders.
Sample was one of four different Cincinnati receivers to haul in a touchdown pass from Joe Burrow during Sunday's blowout win. He's now caught eight of his nine targets for 42 yards and a touchdown across nine games this season.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Goes without target Week 6
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Sample didn't draw a target while playing 26 of the Bengals' 53 snaps on offense in Sunday's 17-7 win over the Giants.
Though Sample paced the Bengals four active tight ends in snaps, rookie Erick All was the only member of the quartet that drew a target on the evening. Sample has handled snap shares north of 40 percent in each of Cincinnati's first four contests, but he's on the field primarily for his prowess as a blocker. He's been targeted just four times across his 169 offensive snaps on the season.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Three grabs in Week 2
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Sample secured all three of his targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 26-25 loss to the Chiefs.
Sample played 33 of the Bengals' 64 offensive snaps, splitting time with fellow tight ends Mike Gesicki and Erick All. The veteran's minimal production is to be expected with Gesicki operating as the clear top option at tight end while seeing a team-high nine targets in the contest. Going forward, Sample should not be trusted for fantasy purposes. The Bengals will host the Commanders in Week 3.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Not targeted in loss
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Sample failed to record a single target in Sunday's 16-10 loss to the Patriots.
Despite not seeing a target Sunday, Sample played the most offensive snaps (27) of any Cincinnati tight end. The Bengals found it hard to move the ball against a formidable New England defense, and the veteran tight end wasn't a factor in the passing game. Teammate Mike Gesicki was the preferred target at tight end for Joe Burrow, seeing four targets in the contest. Sample will likely continue to see an uphill battle for targets when the Bengals square off against the Chiefs in Week 2.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Lands three-year extension
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Sample has signed a three-year contract extension with the Bengals.
Per Ben Baby of ESPN.com, the deal is worth $10.5 million. Sample is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he recorded 22 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. While the 2019 second-rounder is back in the fold, Sample's potential workload and in turn fantasy upside in 2024 hinges on what other moves the Bengals make at the tight end position in free agency and the draft.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Plays in all 17 games
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Sample played in all 17 games for the Bengals in 2023, recording 22 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
The tight end finished the season second on the depth chart behind Tanner Hudson. Sample will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Cincinnati does not yet have any tight ends under contract for 2024.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Four targets in loss
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Sample caught three of four targets for 21 yards in Sunday's 25-17 loss to the Chiefs.
Sample saw his highest snap share of the season Sunday, playing 72 percent of the Bengals' offensive snaps. The veteran tight end caught three passes for the second-straight week, but he continued his string of modest production this season. In 16 games, Sample has recorded just 20 receptions for 156 and two touchdowns. The 27-year-old will look to stay involved and finish the season on a high note when the Bengals host the Browns in Week 18.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Three catches against Steelers
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Sample caught all three of his targets for 38 yards in Saturday's 34-11 loss to the Steelers.
Sample's three receptions tied a season-high for the veteran, while his 38 yards were the most he's gained in a single contest in 2023. The 27-year-old played 55 percent of the Bengals' offensive snaps, ahead of both Tanner Hudson (50) and Mitchell Wilcox (23). Despite his increased involvement against the Steelers, Sample should remain far off the fantasy radar heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Chiefs.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Blocking role
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Sample was targeted once on 40 offensive snaps in Saturday's overtime win over the Vikings.
Frequently Sample lined up in the backfield to help pick up the numerous blitzes from the Vikings' Brian Flores-designed defense. He hasn't had more than two targets in a game since Week 10.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Minimal involvement in loss
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Sample secured his only target for minus-one yard in Sunday's 27-3 loss to the Titans.
Sample was a nonfactor Sunday, seeing just one target for the second straight week. The veteran's 17 offensive snaps were the third-most among tight ends, with both Tanner Hudson and Mitchell Wilcox handling more snaps in the contest. Top tight end Irv Smith was ruled out for Week 4 with a hamstring injury, but Sample remained an afterthought in the Bengals' struggling offense. The 27-year-old should be left out of fantasy lineups going into a Week 5 matchup with the Cardinals.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Staying in Cincinnati
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Sample re-signed a with the Bengals on a one-year deal Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Sample has spent the entirety of his four-year career in Cincinnati and will now be tied to the Bengals next season as well. The 26-year-old appeared in just two games last season before injuring both his MCL and PCL and logged two catches for minus-2 yards. Heading into next season, Sample will look to compete for playing time behind presumptive starter Irv Smith.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Ends season on IR
Rotowire
Sample recorded two catches for minus-2 yards over two appearances before missing the rest of the regular season and postseason while recovering from surgery to address MCL and PCL damage to his right knee.
A second-round pick in 2019, Sample never developed into a major receiving option over the four years of his rookie deal. Though Sample could be at or near full health by the spring, the impending free agent isn't a lock to be retained by Cincinnati.
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Bengals' Drew Sample: Headed to IR
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Head coach Zac Taylor said the Bengals will place Sample (knee) on injured reserve in the next couple of days, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Sample underwent surgery on his right knee following the team's Week 2 loss to the Cowboys. His return timetable is unclear, but it's possible he'll miss the entire campaign after initial tests revealed damage to his MCL and PCL, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. In Sample's absence, Mitchell Wilcox has stepped up as the Bengals' top backup tight end behind Hayden Hurst.
