Jermaine Gresham on Tyler Eifert: 'Dude is a freak'

It's not like Joe Reedy with the Cincinnati Enquirer has been counting or anything, but 401 days had since the last time that tight end Jermaine Gresham spoke with the local media, finally availing himself to questions earlier this week. Gresham spoke on topics ranging from a contract extension (doesn't believe he has earned one yet), going to two Pro Bowls, on his preseason has gone, and the drops against the Houston Texans during the team's postseason loss in January.

But the one topic that drew the most interest for me was his perspective on Tyler Eifert. Someone in a similar position could think to themselves, they drafted a tight end in the first round as an eventual replacement. And maybe one day that will happen -- not that we really care about what happens beyond this year. Gresham called Eifert a "freak" and that the Bengals are "definitely a better team. I'm excited."

When asked about his reaction after the team selected Eifert in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft, Gresham showed that team spirit (or he's seasoned with player's speak).

"I was excited they drafted him," Gresham said via Cincinnati Enquirer. "That’s somebody else they can bring to my room and somebody else I can talk to because it was getting kind of boring in there. It was getting so old in there, so when he came it was somebody I could relate to and talk to. It’s been a party since then. I enjoy being around him. He makes plays, he’s helping me make plays. It’s fun."

At this point, Eifert is more of a second tight end and wide receiver during packages than he is a replacement for Jermaine Gresham. At this point, the two-time Pro Bowler with 172 receptions after three seasons, has nothing to worry about. But the beautiy of in-team competition can only make him better -- and it sounds like he's accepting that challenge.