Reuniting with C.J. Uzomah would not solve the Bengals' tight end problem

Uzomah will be free to sign anywhere this free agency, and while a reunion in Cincinnati has some logic attached to it, it's a move the Bengals don't need to make in the slightest.

Why the Jets are releasing C.J. Uzomah

Outside of his impressive 2021 campaign, Uzomah has never been much more than a complementary option at the tight end position. Be it from injuries or late development, the Bengals undoubtedly got the best of Uzomah before he left for a larger payday in the Big Apple.

It's no surprise the Jets are parting ways with him. Uzomah's first season in 2022 after signing on for $8 million per year and $15 million guaranteed resulted in just 232 yards on 21 receptions. Bad quarterback play aside, that's replacement-level production from a tight end who's paid like a starter.

2023 was unfortunately worse. Uzomah was a non-factor for most of the year as the Jets' offense spiraled without Aaron Rodgers. The cherry on top was a knee injury involving MCL and meniscus damage, plus a plateau fracture of the tibia that cut his season short in December.

New York was scheduled to pay Uzomah $8 million in salary this upcoming season, and he would've counted for $11,221,668 against the cap. Releasing him is one of the easiest decisions the Jets will make all year.  

Uzomah just turned 31 years old and is coming off a season-ending injury following two extremely underwhelming years with the Jets. He's nobody's answer as a starting tight end, which is precisely what the Bengals need.

The Bengals need more than what C.J. Uzomah can bring at tight end

Cincinnati may not have any tight ends under contract at the moment, but that can soon change. Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, and Mitchell Wilcox are all eligible to be re-signed leading up to the start of free agency next week.

It would be surprising if none of those three were brought back by the club. All three have value as depth pieces to the tight end room despite none of them being talented enough to be a true starter at the position. 

The Bengals don't need depth pieces as much as they need a reliable replacement for what they lost last year. They replaced Uzomah with Hayden Hurst, who picked up exactly where Uzomah left off in 2022. Hurst then left during the 2023 offseason and was replaced by Irv Smith Jr. Nobody who follows the Bengals needs a reminder of how that went. 

The current version of Uzomah isn't enough to properly fill that void.

Should the Bengals need another body at the position late in the offseason and Uzomah is ready to participate off his injury, there's a path for the two sides to come together once more. Until then, Cincinnati's attention should be focused on real answers to its tight end problems.