Tyler Eifert rumors: Top 3 landing spots

Tyler Eifert reached the Pro Bowl in 2015 season, but injuries have derailed the young star since. Can he find his old form in 2018 with a new team?

When the Cincinnati Bengals selected tight end Tyler Eifert in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the hope was that the athletic pass-catcher could be a top weapon for quarterback Andy Dalton. And while that did come to pass, those times were few and far between, with various injuries limiting him to playing just 39 games over five seasons. His best performance came in 2015, when he caught 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 scores in 13 games.

Elbow and ankle injuries marred his 2014 and 2016 seasons, while a pair of back surgeries cut short his 2016 and 2017 campaigns. Nevertheless, Eifert insists he is healthy, telling the Cincinnati Enquirer at the Scouting Combine that “everything is fixed.” And that’s right on time, too; Eifert is now a free agent searching for a new team to call home. Here are three who could have interest in the veteran later in March.

Best fits

1. Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have a proven veteran tight end under contract for 2018: Jared Cook, who led the team in receiving yards last season, with 688. However, both Bill Williamson and Steve Corkran of Raiders Snake Pit have confirmed both a desire “to get more athletic at tight end in free agency” and interest in Eifert from the Raiders’ camp.

Should Eifert be as healthy as he says he is—and stays that way—he could be an affordable option on a one-year prove-it deal. Eifert could be paired with Cook or replace him outright, though the latter isn’t a requirement. While Cook is set to cost $5.3 million against the Raiders’ cap in 2018 (with no dead money), Oakland has enough cash to not require them to cut him. This way, Oakland won’t have to sink all of its tight end eggs into Eifert’s fragile basket and hope for the best.

2. Seattle Seahawks

With Jimmy Graham not expected to be re-signed after three years in Seattle, the Seahawks are in the market for a new pass-catching tight end this year. The free-agent market at the position is a thin one, which is why the Seahawks may be willing to take a flier on Eifert if the price is right.

The Seahawks could also lose receiver Paul Richardson to free agency, which would make Eifert an even more enticing option. The risk may be high, but so are the potential rewards and the Seahawks may find themselves too needy to be choosy once the league year begins.

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3. Cincinnati Bengals

The team that best knows Eifert’s injury history—as well as what he can do when healthy—may also be the one to sign him this offseason. The Cincinnati Bengals have not been shy about wanting to bring Eifert back on a second contract, but it will heavily depend on what his market proves to be later this month.

At the Scouting Combine, Bengals director of player personnel Dick Tobin expressed interest in Eifert remaining in Cincinnati, sentiments that were echoed by head coach Marvin Lewis. In speaking at the Combine, Lewis (via Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson) said that, “hopefully something can be done to keep Tyler in Cincinnati. I think that’s important to him and hopefully it can get done.”

Again, Eifert’s health will be a major consideration, but if there is any team that would be willing to take that chance on him it’s the team that made him a first-round draft pick five years ago.