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Seahawks should take a flier on tight end Tyler Eifert

Assuming tight end Jimmy Graham signs elsewhere when free agency starts next month, the Seattle Seahawks should kick the tires on former Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert.
Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (85) catches a touchdown as Cleveland Browns safety Ed Reynolds (39) defends during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming tight end Jimmy Graham signs elsewhere when free agency starts next month, the Seattle Seahawks should kick the tires on former Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert.

Set to turn 28 in September, Eifert has struggled to stay on the field, missing a grand total of 41 games over five NFL seasons. Along with tearing a ligament in his ankle during the Pro Bowl in 2015, he also dislocated his elbow in 2014 and underwent back surgery to end his season last year.

But when healthy, Eifert has been as productive of an all-around tight end as can be found in pro football.

Back in 2015, Eifert caught 52 passes for 615 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for the playoff-bound Bengals, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl. However, the ankle injury suffered while playing for Team Irvin forced him to miss the first eight games of the following season. In spite of the setback, he still caught 29 passes for nearly 400 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Along with being a reliable receiver who has never posted a catch rate percentage below 61 percent in his career, Eifert also uses his 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame effectively as a blocker in the run game. He’s physical at the point of attack and Cincinnati utilized him as an in-line blocker on a consistent basis.

Due to his lengthy injury history, teams won’t be rushing to hand Eifert a multi-year contract offer. Still, he’s a relatively young player who can stretch the field vertically as a receiver and has proven capable of performing as a top-flight tight end when healthy.

The Bengals remain the favorite to re-sign Eifert, but with unproven tight ends Nick Vannett and Tyrone Swoopes as the only tight ends on Seattle’s roster, the team should investigate signing him to a one-year “prove it” deal chocked full of incentives. General manager John Schneider could offer a contract with low base pay and a bevy of performance escalators, such as number of games played, receptions, and touchdowns.

With Russell Wilson throwing to him, Eifert could potentially return to his 2015 form and provide a cheaper, younger alternative to Graham. Seattle would also benefit from his presence as a blocker, as he’d be an upgrade over Graham and the best blocking tight end the Seahawks have had since Zach Miller was released in 2015.

Given Seattle’s recent struggles running the football and the shortage of quality tight ends available, Eifert would a low-risk, high reward value signing that could pay major dividends for the Seahawks’ offense in 2018.

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