Thaddeus

Moss

Moss lacked the special teams experience as Cincinnati’s third tight end, whereas Mitchell Wilcox thrived with that unit. There’s still a terrific chance Moss returns to the Bengals’ practice squad after going undrafted last year due to injury concerns. TE Mason Schreck also failed to make the team’s 53-man roster.

Moss outplayed Mason Schreck and Mitchell Wilcox this preseason, catching 8-of-14 targets for 64 yards. The second-year tight end is expected to open the year in the No. 3 role behind C.J Uzomah and Drew Sample. Moss was one of Joe Burrow’s top targets at Bengals camp.

“He’s got all the intangibles you want. I’ve really been impressed with him. He does a good job getting in and out of cuts,” said Casey. Moss, who the Bengals claimed off waivers from Washington in April, spent his rookie year on IR after Jones Fracture surgery. The Bengals have Drew Sample and C.J. Uzomah locked into roster spots, leaving Moss, Mason Schreck, and Mitchell Wilcox to compete for the No. 3 role. Moss is undersized and went undrafted due to injury concerns, but may have the highest upside among the Bengals’ tight ends.

Moss (6'1/250) was hyped as an option in Washington prior to undergoing Jones Fracture surgery last August if only because the team was short viable options behind Logan Thomas. 23 in May, Moss is merely a low-risk, low-upside option catching passes once again from collegiate teammate Joe Burrow.

Moss went undrafted in 2020 due to a Jones Fracture that showed in his Combine medicals. He was talked up as a possible starter on a shallow Washington depth chart before landing on IR in August. Moss is undersized for a tight end and has a history of lower body injuries, but his upside and NFL lines should get him another look.

Somewhat surprisingly undrafted, Moss (6’3/249) profiles primarily as a run blocker. His speed, short-area burst and agility are weaknesses. 31 of Moss’ 57 targets came between the numbers within 0-10 yards of the line of scrimmage. His below-average athleticism doesn’t allow him to separate from defenders, so he will be limited to short-yardage dump-offs in the NFL. He does have a big catch radius and doesn’t body catch in traffic, but he only had one red zone touchdown last season despite playing in the best college offense. PFF does note that he didn’t drop a single pass in 2019, but having only six receptions from 2016 to 2018 is a major red flag. Moss’ easiest path to a more diverse role is to lose weight because he currently does not move like his father, Randy Moss.

Randy’s son, Moss will undergo surgery and be sidelined somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 weeks. Moss does have a history of foot issues. More name than game, Moss is not a first-round prospect, but he was not invited to the Combine simply because of who his father is. Although under-sized at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, there is a chance Moss comes off the board on Day 2. He was a valuable chain mover for national champion LSU and scored twice in the title game.