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The Bengals have re-signed tight end C.J. Uzomah to a three-year deal worth more than $18 million, per Ian Rapoport.
Tight end C.J. Uzomah has agreed to terms heading back to the #Bengals on a 3-year deal worth more $18M, source said. Nice deal for Uzomah.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2019
Uzomah is the first of Cincinnati’s unrestricted free agents to re-sign with the team.
After being drafted by the team in the fifth round in 2015, Uzomah has slowly worked his way up to becoming a starter in the Bengals’ offense. Originally behind Tyler Eifert and then Tyler Kroft, Uzomah saw more offensive snaps in 2018 (839) than he did from 2015-2017 (670) due to Eifert and Kroft both suffering season-ending injuries. His 15 starts in 2018 topped his previous season-high of eight in 2016.
In 2018, Uzomah accounted for 439 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions; taking his career totals to 769 yards and five touchdowns on 79 receptions. His work as a blocker for running back Joe Mixon was also commendable and a key factor to Mixon’s breakout season.
Beyond that, Uzomah battled through a shoulder injury for most of the season and ended up playing the fourth-most snaps for the offense — and the most for all non-offensive lineman.
With this deal, Uzomah is likely entrenched as the starting tight end going forward. With head coach Zac Taylor is taking over the offense and comes from an offense with the Los Angeles Rams that ran 11 personnel (one tight end on the field) for more than 90% of the time. It’s still possible that either Eifert or Kroft return along with Uzomah, but Uzomah seems poised to be the main option at the position for the foreseeable future.
Keep it locked in here at Cincy Jungle for all the latest updates in free agency