The Cincinnati Bengals have relied heavily on their passing attack to carry the offense, and five games in, the return outside has lived up to the billing. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have combined for five touchdowns and 712 yards. However, the 3-2 Bengals have seen modest production over the middle, where tight ends Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample have combined for just 183 yards (159 for Gesicki and 24 for Sample).
Our NFL draft analyst Luke Easterling has Cincinnati addressing the position early. In his updated 2027 first-round mock draft, the Bengals take Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson at No. 17. Even with the star talent outside, Easterling wrote, “Joe Burrow already has arguably the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but the Bengals could still use a long-term upgrade at tight end.”
Why Jamari Johnson fits Zac Taylor’s offense
Zac Taylor has always built his best offenses around spacing and mismatches. “Trying to put ourselves in a great position to score points on every single drive,” Taylor said earlier this week. Gesicki just turned 31, and Erick All Jr. is still working his way into a complete workload. Tight end sits high on Cincinnati’s list of 2027 draft needs.
Johnson has the traits to change that. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound junior originally played quarterback in high school before converting to tight end, and he took over Oregon’s primary seam role after transferring from Louisville. He entered the year averaging over 15 yards per catch. In his scouting report on Johnson, Easterling highlighted his athletic profile and dangerous red-zone ability, noting that “his reliable hands would give Burrow another dangerous red-zone weapon.”
The blocking consistency is part of the evaluation. Johnson missed two games earlier this season with an undisclosed injury before returning to post a 119-yard breakout. Scouts still want to see him anchor more effectively against physical defensive ends. Easterling’s other knocks are on his route precision. Johnson has played a heavy share of snaps flexed into the slot rather than with his hand in the dirt, and his technique against physical press coverage is a work in progress.
Easterling ranks Johnson as the No. 1 tight end in the 2027 class. Cincinnati has spent years trying to patch together short-term veteran rentals at the spot, so the Bengals would be landing an athletic, 255-pound target to fix the one spot that has held their passing attack back.