Ryan Hewitt had minor, non-football procedure

With Tyler Eifert set to miss the next three to four months of football, the last thing the Bengals need is another injury to a tight end, let alone any pass-catcher for that matter.

So of course, that's the case with one key player who is expected to step up in Eifert's absence. It's fullback/h-back Ryan Hewitt, who reportedly has undergone a minor procedure that has him sidelined for the time being, but hopefully, not for too long.

With Tyler Eifert ailing, another #Bengals TE is on the shelf: Ryan Hewitt had a minor, non-football procedure. Recovering nicely, back soon

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 25, 2016

Eifert is already undergoing a procedure on Wednesday that includes a recovery timetable of three months, putting his status for the start of next season in doubt. That means guys like Hewitt really need to step up and hold the fort down until Eifert returns, which obviously is harder to do when Hewitt is also on the sideline recovering.

The Bengals lost Hewitt last season due to a knee injury originally suffered in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos, which effectively ended his season. It's unclear if this procedure Hewitt is having done is related to that injury.

Hewitt has been the team's starting fullback/h-back for the past two seasons, and he's done well enough that it sounds like the Bengals are making him a priority to get an extension for this offseason. He's one of the youngest players on the roster (25), not to mention a guy who in theory does not have a lot of wear and tear already.

Because he was an undrafted free agent in 2014, Hewitt only has three years on his deal and becomes a free agent next offseason, albeit a restricted free agent, so 2016 is a big year for him. In two years, Hewitt has caught 18 of 26 targets for 185 yards as he's rarely been used in the passing game, but has shown enough promise in that role to think he could handle more opportunities. It's not crazy to think he may actually battle Tyler Kroft for the No. 1 tight end spot if and when Eifert is out to start the season.

But as long as both Hewitt and Eifert are out, expect to see the Bengals give more reps to young guys like C.J. Uzomah, John Peters and Matt Lengel in OTAs, training camp and the preseason, depending on how long Hewitt is out. It does seem like he should be returning relatively soon and isn't expected to miss training camp.

Does it seem odd that the Bengals have multiple players getting procedures done while OTAs are underway, when it sounds like something they could have done much sooner? Asking for a friend.