Scotty Washington impressing after position change to tight end

The Cincinnati Bengals are searching for depth at the tight end position behind free agent signee Hayden Hurst and former second-round draft pick Drew Sample.

It may have an answer in former undrafted free agent wide receiver-turned-tight end Scotty Washington.

Washington, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals following the 2020 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest, has been on the team’s practice squad ever since, has been impressing during OTA’s after switching positions to tight ends.

The 6-foot-5 Washington made a catch in each preseason game last season, but none for more than a nine-yard touchdown grab against the then Washington Football Team.

Now at tight end, Washington has turned some heads of those watching him in practice.

“He’s re-branded himself a tight end, and we’re going to work with him. He’s a big fast, strong guy,” tight ends coach James Casey told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “There’s a lot of nuance to playing tight end. Really, after the quarterback, the tight end has to know the most. He has to learn to block in both the pass game and the run game, and he has to have good enough technique to block guys like Myles Garrett on the edge and in the run game you’re not just going down there blocking the ‘C’ Gap.”

Washington will battle former LSU star Thaddeus Moss, Nick Eubanks, Mitchell Wilcox and undrafted free agent signee Justin Rigg for the third tight end spot on the roster during the rest of OTA’s, training camp and preseason.