Bengals injury news: Seventh round pick Mason Schreck suffered MCL injury

Cincinnati Bengals rookie tight end Mason Schreck may have suffered a major blow to his roster chances.

According to Jim Owczarski, Schreck experienced an MCL injury in the Bengals’ third preseason game against the Washington Redskins.

Schreck had a slim chance of making the roster this year with Tyler Eifert, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah at the top of the tight end depth chart. With half-back Ryan Hewitt contributing at tight end, too, the Bengals seem pretty set at the position for this season.

The caveat was injuries as the group is often banged up and Uzomah is currently recovering from an ankle sprain. Eifert is at the top of the injury-prone (or unlucky, whatever you like to call it) list and is currently even dealing with some tendinitis in his knee. After Schreck was selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft, the assumption was the Bengals would try to develop him on the practice squad and have him around in case injuries crept up. Unfortunately, injuries are already creeping up, including to the rookie.

Schreck played nine snaps on Sunday but wasn’t targeted in the passing game before leaving the contest due to his knee injury. The injury will almost certainly keep him from making the roster and he could be waived and/or placed on an injury list as a result.

The Bengals reportedly have liked half-back/tight end Cethan Carter, who had one catch for four yards in 29 snaps played on Sunday. He’s now more likely to lock up a practice squad spot with Schreck injured.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of life in the NFL and Schreck is learning that all too soon.