The Cincinnati Bengals have ushered in some significant changes this offseason. Fortunately, it appears they can expect a familiar face in tight end Tyler Eifert to be back soon.

Eifert has spent the offseason nursing a surgically-repaired ankle. According to Richard Skinner of WKRC, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is optimistic about his return to training camp:

“I'm very excited to get those guys back and add to the mix of talented players we have,” said Callahan. “We've all watched those guys at other places we've been. We've watched A.J. and Tyler and know what they are. To have those guys trending in the right direction going into training camp and a few more weeks to get rest I'm really excited to those guys together and our unit as a whole should be fun.”

The Bengals made quite the investment when they took Eifert in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Early, it seemed as though he would be able to justify his selection after establishing himself as one of the more promising, young tight ends in the NFL. He burst onto the scene after finishing the 2015 campaign with career-high 13 touchdowns en route to Pro Bowl honors.

Unfortunately, his career has since been derailed by injuries and he has only played in 14 combined games over the last three seasons. As a result, Cincinnati signed him to a bit of a “prove-it” deal this offseason.

Eifert will have an opportunity to show he is still capable of serving as a big target in the red zone for a Bengals offense that hopes to enjoy a resurgence in the 2019 NFL season.