Bengals sign Darius Hodge and Pro Wells, per report

The frenzy of undrafted free agency has kicked off, and the Cincinnati Bengals have been quick to try and snag some quality additions to their team.

Starting off with Cincinnati’s addition of Marshall defensive end Darius Hodge, edge has been a clear area for concern for the Bengals in this draft, as they addressed it a couple of times. That didn’t stop them from adding Hodge to the group, though.

It seems like Hodge will likely end up competing for a spot on the practice squad. He has a ton of athleticism but is a bit underpowered for an NFL defensive end. He makes up for a lot of that with an attitude to never stop attacking. Most of his shortcomings can be overcome by better technique, which the Bengals should be able to coach him up on.

Another addition they made was adding TCU Tight end Pro Wells. Tight end may not be the first group you think of when you consider positions that need upgrades. However, Drew Sample is coming towards the end of his rookie deal, and C.J. Uzomah is coming off a very serious injury. You can never have too many camp bodies to take some reps as well as potentially compete for a practice squad spot.

Wells, despite being a redshirt junior, is still a very raw prospect. He was a high school basketball player who started focusing on football when he got to junior college. He has incredible ball skills, but at 249 pounds, he really lacks the speed and quickness to be considered a mismatch. He also adds very little as a blocker.

There is some potential there if Wells is willing to take the coaching.

Draft grade-wise, Hodge was actually projected as a Round 6-7 prospect, while Wells was pegged as a priority free agent but compared to NFL tight end Jacob Hollister.