When he was breaking down which 2013 first-round draft picks would have their contract options for the 2017 season exercised before the May 3 deadline, PFT’s Zac Jackson put Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert in the “will almost certainly be picked up” category.
Eifert can now move from that group to the one for players who have had their options exercised. The Bengals announced Wednesday that they have done that. Eifert joins Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro in that group and the Panthers have said they will exercise defensive tackle Star Lotulelei’s option, although they haven’t officially gone through the motions yet.
The option will pay Eifert the average of the 3rd-25th best-paid tight ends and is guaranteed against injury only.
The call to exercise Eifert’s option probably wasn’t a difficult one for the Bengals. Eifert is coming off a season that saw him catch 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns, fulfilling the promise that led them to take him 21st overall out of Notre Dame in the first place.
A dislocated elbow cost Eifert all but one game of the 2014 season, but he showed no hangover from the injury last season and, assuming he remains healthy, figures to be a fixture in the Cincinnati offense for years to come.
