Auden Tate has minor MCL injury, per report

It sounds like Auden Tate avoided a significant injury in the Bengals’ loss to the Browns on Sunday.

During the game, Tate was forced from the game with a reported knee injury, which occured in the second half as he made a contested catch to put Cincinnati deep in Cleveland territory. He would hobble off the field under his own power and then limp to the locker room for further testing.

Thankfully, it sounds like it was just a mild MCL sprain, according to Cincinnati Enquirer report Tyler Dragon.

Tate has been one of the few bright spots in a lost season for the Bengals, and he’s a major part of the passing game. On the drive Tate made the catch that injured him, the offense stalled and the Bengals kicked a field goal to cut Cleveland’s lead to 21-16. His catch came with 8:53 left in the third quarter, and Cincinnati finished the game with just 19 points, three of which came in garbage time.

That only begins to show how big of a loss Tate is for an offense that has been abysmal through the air this season. But with only three games left, it’s fair to wonder if this is the last we’ve seen of him this season. It’s just not worth risking further injury unless he comes back at close to 100% health.