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Through the first couple of days into the free agency period, the Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the quietest teams in the league. Aside from the acquisition of offensive tackle Cordy Glenn, the front office has yet to make any significant additions on the open market to help improve the roster ahead of the 2018 season.
The Bengals do have a few of their own free agents through, such as former Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert. With that in mind, Cincinnati quickly agreed to a one-year deal to bring back the 27-year-old, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Bengals’ TE Tyler Eifert reached agreement on a one-year deal and is staying in Cincinnati, per league source. Top available TE off the board.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2018
Since being selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Eifert has spent his first five years in the league with the Bengals. Despite showing much promise on the field, he has dealt with significant injuries for the bulk of that time, playing eight or fewer games three times, including at least 14 games twice.
Eifert earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in the 2015 campaign, making 52 catches for 615 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 13 games played. It has been a struggle with injuries since then, as he injured his ankle in the Pro Bowl that forced him to spend the entire offseason rehabbing. He also suffered a back injury that limited him to just eight games played in 2016, and another one that limited him to two games in 2017.
Despite all that, Eifert was viewed as being arguably the top tight end available in free agency. He demonstrated that he possesses game-changing talent on the field, but his biggest issue has been staying healthy. With a one-year deal, Eifert will need to prove that he can stay healthy and return to Pro Bowl form. If anything, it keeps a proven offensive talent in the fold for Pro Bowl quarterback Andy Dalton as they attempt to have a better 2018 campaign.
