Bengals may have found a playmaker in Jack Endries

The Cincinnati Bengals may have found a special young playmaker in Jack Endries, who made a strong first impression during his NFL preseason debut.

Endries showed he could make the most of his time against the Detroit Lions. The rookie tight end caught three passes and averaged 8.3 yards per reception. While that number might not immediately jump off the page, another part of his performance made his debut interesting.

Endries’ average depth of target was just 1.0 yard, meaning much of his production came after he caught the football. Instead of relying on deep throws to create big plays, he showed an ability to turn small windows into decent gains.

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His best moment came on a 17-yard catch-and-run. Endries forced three missed tackles on the play, showing the kind of physicality and determination that can make a difference for a young tight end.

That was a good start for Endries as he begins his NFL career. His performance suggests he can be more than simply a player who catches short passes. If he can consistently create additional yardage after the catch, he could give Cincinnati another option in its offense.

Endries finished his preseason debut with a 91.4 PFF grade, putting him among the highest-graded rookies from the opening week of preseason action.

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PFF’s Gordon McGuinness also included Endries among his players to watch after the first week of preseason. The recognition comes after Endries showed in his debut that he can make defenders miss and create extra yardage with the ball in his hands. His debut simply gave the Bengals plenty of reason to like this guy, and that’s certainly a great thing for his budding NFL career.