The Cincinnati Bengals added another weapon to their offense on the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Texas tight end Jack Endries with the 221st overall pick in the seventh round. The pick, one of two seventh-round selections the Bengals held this year, signals the team's continued commitment to building offensive depth around quarterback Joe Burrow.
Endries arrives in Cincinnati after a productive career with the Longhorns, where he developed into a reliable pass-catching tight end with the versatility to line up inline, in the slot, or even out wide. While he may not have the flashy draft profile of some of his peers, his skill set fits a clear need for the Bengals as they look to solidify the position behind their established starters.
A Tight End Room That Needed Reinforcement
When the Bengals entered the 2026 offseason, the tight end position was one of the more intriguing storylines on the roster. The team returned a solid starting option but lacked proven depth behind him. Injuries and inconsistent play from the No. 2 and No. 3 spots last season created an opportunity for a draft pick or a camp battle to earn meaningful snaps.
Endries enters a room that suddenly has more competition. The Bengals have a clear hierarchy at the top, but with no one locked in as the clear backup, the seventh-round pick will have every chance to earn a role. His ability to contribute immediately as a receiver in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) packages could be especially valuable for an offense that likes to spread the ball around.
The Bengals have not been shy about using multiple tight ends in recent years. When healthy, the offense has shown a willingness to exploit mismatches with athletic tight ends against linebackers and safeties. Endries fits that mold.
What Jack Endries Brings to the Table
Measurables aside, Endries' game is built on nuance and reliability. At Texas, he wasn't always the primary option in the passing game, but when called upon, he delivered. His route running is sharp for a player his size, and he shows a natural ability to find soft spots in zone coverage. That's a trait that quarterbacks love, and one that typically translates well to the NFL level.
Endries also has strong hands. He rarely lets the ball get into his body, instead plucking it out of the air with his hands extended. That technique is a hallmark of experienced pass catchers, and it suggests he can be trusted in high-leverage situations. Whether that's converting a third-and-medium or making a contested catch in the red zone, Endries has the skill set to make plays.
Where Endries will need to prove himself is in the blocking department. At the college level, he showed willingness as a blocker, but his technique and functional strength are still works in progress. For an NFL tight end to see regular playing time, they must be able to at least hold their own in the run game. The Bengals' coaching staff will likely spend the offseason working with Endries on his hand placement, pad level, and overall power at the point of attack.
If he can develop into a reliable inline blocker, his ceiling rises significantly. If not, his path to a consistent role will be as a move tight end and special teams contributor.
Draft Context: The 221st Overall Pick
The 221st overall pick is deep in the seventh round, a spot where teams are often taking fliers on players who either fell due to off-field concerns, medical red flags, or specific scheme limitations. Endries doesn't carry any known baggage, so his slide to this point in the draft likely reflects something more common: a player whose college production didn't perfectly align with modern NFL athletic thresholds.
At Texas, Endries put together a solid but unspectacular collegiate resume. He never posted eye-popping receiving numbers, but he was consistent and reliable. In an era where tight ends are increasingly expected to create explosive plays, Endries projects more as a chain mover and a security blanket. That archetype, while valuable, often gets overlooked until the later rounds.
The Bengals' front office, led by General Manager Duke Tobin and Head Coach Zac Taylor, have a history of hitting on later-round picks, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The selection of Endries continues that trend of looking for value on Day 3.
How He Fits the Offensive Scheme
Offensive Coordinator Dan Pitcher has plenty of experience designing creative passing concepts that feature tight ends in mismatches. Endries is not going to be confused with a downfield burner, but he is a smooth operator in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. That is exactly the kind of player who can thrive in a system that asks tight ends to find windows in zone coverage and sit down in soft spots.
The Bengals' offense is built around Joe Burrow's ability to process pre-snap looks and deliver accurate passes. A tight end like Endries, who understands how to read defenses and adjust his route based on coverage, will quickly earn Burrow's trust. If he can get on the same page with his quarterback during OTAs and training camp, he could carve out a role as a rotational pass catcher.
Special teams will be another critical factor in his bid to make the roster. Seventh-round picks almost always have to prove their value on coverage units to secure a spot, and Endries has the size and toughness to be a factor in that phase. If he can contribute on kickoff and punt coverage, his odds of making the 53-man roster improve significantly.
Long-Term Outlook
Let's be realistic about what a seventh-round pick typically becomes. The vast majority of players selected this late either spend their rookie seasons on the practice squad or get released during final cuts. But every once in a while, a seventh-round pick sticks and develops into a contributor. The Bengals are betting that Endries can be one of those outliers.
The path is clear: win a roster spot in camp, contribute on special teams, and earn a few snaps on offense each week. If he can do that as a rookie, he'll have a chance to compete for a larger role in Year 2 when the team evaluates its long-term plans at the position.
The Bengals' tight end situation is far from settled beyond the immediate future. With no clear long-term answer behind the starter, Endries represents a developmental investment. If he hits, the Bengals have a cost-controlled No. 2 tight end for four years. If he doesn't, he's a late-round flier that didn't work out -- the price of doing business in the NFL Draft.
Final Thoughts
The Bengals' selection of Jack Endries at 221st overall is the kind of pick that typically flies under the radar. There will be no hype trains or highlight reels dominating social media. But within the context of the team's roster construction, it makes sense.
Cincinnati needed to add depth and competition to the tight end position. Endries brings a reliable set of hands, solid route running, and the kind of football intelligence that coaches covet. Whether he can translate that into NFL production remains to be seen, but the raw materials are there.
For Bengals fans looking for a seventh-round name to watch during training camp, Jack Endries is a good one to remember. He won't be the headliner of this draft class, but he has the traits to outplay his draft slot and carve out a role in Cincinnati's offense. In a draft class that has been heavy on offensive weapons for Joe Burrow, Endries is the kind of understated addition that could pay dividends down the road.
Welcome to Cincinnati, Jack. Now go earn your spot.