The Cincinnati Bengals are on the verge of having to make tough decisions as they narrow their roster to 53 players.
Cincinnati has already begun to make roster moves, as it cut ties with veteran lineman Cody Ford after the team’s second preseason game.
Now, with the regular season less than a month away and Cincinnati getting ready for their final preseason action, one analyst believes the team should part ways with a veteran if they could get some value in return.
Cincinnati Bengals Pushed to Trade Veteran Tight End
Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling listed some Cincinnati players who he deemed to be trade candidates before the team has to make their required cuts. Among those players was veteran tight end Tanner Hudson.
Roling wrote: “There’s a numbers game at tight end, too. Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Erick All are locks. If they only roster four, or stretch it to five, rookie Jack Endries has impressed and they really like Cam Grandy. Hudson, now 31 years old, is a solid all-around player, which will appeal to other teams for his ability to help right away.”
In three seasons with the Bengals, Hudson has totaled 77 receptions for 674 receiving yards and four touchdowns. The veteran has appeared in 38 total games for Cincinnati and started two of them. Hudson re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract that would put his career earnings over $8 million, according to Spotrac.
Tanner Hudson’s Roster Possibilities
Roling is not the first to suggest that the Bengals move on from the veteran tight end this offseason. While Roling suggested a trade that would benefit Cincinnati, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton named him as a player the Bengals should cut before the season.
Moton wrote: “Tanner Hudson could be on the outs within a healthy Cincinnati Bengals tight end room.
In 2024, Erick All Jr. tore his ACL and missed the entire 2025 campaign. Mike Gesicki missed four games last year. They’re both at full strength. By the way, Cincinnati selected Jack Endries in the seventh round of this year’s draft.
Given that Gesicki is a proven pass-catcher, and the Bengals used a fourth-round pick on All two years ago, they’re near locks to make the roster. Drew Sample is the team’s best blocking tight end.
Hudson doesn’t stand out in any particular way in the Bengals’ tight end room. Moreover, he’ll turn 32 in November. Cincinnati may want to tap into the upside of younger players at the position in the upcoming term.”
Even if the Bengals don’t find a trade partner for Hudson, the team may be inclined to move on as Moton suggested. A to Z Sports’ John Sheeran believes that Cincinnati’s tight end room is one of the conundrums they need to figure out before the season.
Sheeran wrote: “We know Cincinnati will have at least four tight ends on its roster. Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki are the two featured players. Erick All Jr. isn’t going anywhere now that he’s fully healthy again. Tanner Hudson, as expendable as you may think he is, remains highly valued as Gesicki’s backup.
Is the room for one more, and are we sure who that extra name is?
My hunch is seventh-round pick Jack Endries if five is the number. As far as talent goes, he probably has the edge over Sample and Hudson.”
Bengals Pushed to Part Ways With $8 Million Talent