After the surprise of the Cincinnati Bengals making Washington’s Drew Sample a second-round pick, it was easy to write it off as the team seeking out insurance behind Tyler Eifert on the depth chart.
Just don’t tell that to Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
Speaking with the media after the pick, Callahan made it clear Sample’s role is much bigger.
“I wouldn’t call it that,” Callahan said. “I think he’s a really good player. I view him as an addition that will help us. He’s a young player we feel really good about pairing with C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Eifert. He fits a different role than them. He isn’t a replacement or insurance, just an addition to a room that was solid to begin with. I think we improved it quite a bit by adding Drew.”
Sample seems like part of a bigger plan to go with a run-heavy approach and give Andy Dalton a plethora of options on a play-action fake. Callahan mentions Sample as a guy who can line up in I-formation and a bunch of other places and be productive.
Most didn’t appear to have a second-round grade on Sample after he had a minimal impact on the Washington passing game, statistically. He was an elite blocker, but the Bengals coaches seem to think they can unlock the rest of his game.
With Eifert on a one-year deal and always a question mark, Sample will clearly have a massive role if the veteran goes down again. But from the sounds of it, he’ll have a sizeable opportunity either way.
