Tyler Eifert, Bengals Reportedly Agree to 1-Year Contract

The Cincinnati Bengals and tight end Tyler Eifert will reportedly be back together in 2018 after the two sides have agreed to a deal. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Eifert's agreement with the Bengals is for one year. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the deal is worth up to $8 million.

Eifert, 27, just finished his fifth season with the Bengals. He's been effective when on the field but has struggled at times to avoid injury. The Notre Dame product has never played 16 games in a season. He played in only two contests in 2017, finishing with four receptions for 46 yards. 

Tyler Kroft took over as Cincinnati's starting tight end in Eifert's absence last season. He finished second on the team with seven touchdowns and set career highs with 42 receptions and 404 yards. 

"I've worked through a back (issue) before and you just find ways to get the same benefits from different lifts or different ways to work out. You just have to work around it, which is fine. I've done that before," Eifert said, per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com.

Eifert has missed a total of 41 games in five NFL seasons. His return to the Bengals is something of a prove-it year, with the team coming off a disappointing 7-9 campaign. The Bengals brought back head coach Marvin Lewis, and Eifert's return continues a trend of keeping things together and hoping chemistry will help them rebound.

"Yeah, the club would obviously like to re-sign Tyler [Eifert]. We have always made a great attempt to re-sign our good players," Lewis told the Bengals' official website (h/t Bengals Wire's Chris Roling). "Obviously, Tyler’s career is not what he wanted, or what we expected. He has had some injuries he has continually had to overcome, and he is fighting back from some this year."

Eifert should slot in as the Bengals' starting tight end again, provided he's healthy.