Drew Sample

A 2019 Bengals second-round draft pick, Sample is credited by Cincinnati's coaches as among the top blocking TEs in NFL ... Has played in 61 career regular-season games with 35 starts, including eight starts in final nine games of 2023 as he took over top TE spot on depth chart ... Has 80 career receptions for 621 yards and three TDs, in addition to blocking responsibilities ... Missed most of 2022 season due to knee injury sustained in Week 2, but returned for '23 season opener and played in all 17 games ... Had streak of 39 consecutive games played (including postseason) before knee injury ... Also a contributor on special teams who lined up for 199 ST snaps in 2023 season ... Was college teammates with Bengals QB Jake Browning at the University of Washington.

A 2019 Bengals second-round draft pick, Sample is credited by Cincinnati's coaches as among the top blocking TEs in NFL ... Has played in 61 career regular-season games with 35 starts, including eight starts in final nine games of 2023 as he took over top TE spot on depth chart ... Has 80 career receptions for 621 yards and three TDs, in addition to blocking responsibilities ... Missed most of 2022 season due to knee injury sustained in Week 2, but returned for '23 season opener and played in all 17 games ... Had streak of 39 consecutive games played (including postseason) before knee injury ... Also a contributor on special teams who lined up for 199 ST snaps in 2023 season ... Was college teammates with Bengals QB Jake Browning at the University of Washington.

Career transactions:

Selected by Cincinnati in second round of 2019 NFL Draft (52nd overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 5-16-19 ... Bengals contract expired on 3-15-23; became unrestricted free agent ... Re-signed with Bengals as unrestricted free agent on 4-14-23 ... Signed contract extension with Bengals on 3-11-24.

Pro career:

2019—Played in nine games (two starts) as a rookie for Cincinnati ... Caught five passes for 30 yards ... Made NFL debut in season opener in his native Seattle (no statistics) ... Recorded first NFL catch on Sept. 15 vs. San Francisco, a 21-yarder from QB Andy Dalton in fourth quarter ... Suffered right ankle injury in Game 9, Nov. 10 vs. Baltimore, causing him to be inactive for Games 10-12, before he was placed on Reserve/Injured on Dec. 7.

2020—Played in all 16 games (13 starts) ... Started Games 4-16, taking over starting TE role as C.J. Uzomah suffered season-ending injury in Game 2 ... Caught 40 passes for 349 yards and one TD ... Notched career-high 52 receiving yards on five catches on Oct. 25 vs. Cleveland ... Scored first career TD on eight-yard pass from QB Brandon Allen on Dec. 27 at Houston.

2021—Played in all 17 regular-season games (eight starts) and all four postseason games (two starts) for AFC Champion Bengals ... Seven of his eight starts were as a second TE ... Caught 11 passes for 81 yards ... Played 199 special teams snaps and had one ST tackle ... Aided blocking effort that helped QB Joe Burrow set team records for passer rating (108.3) and passing yards (4611), while also opening holes for HB Joe Mixon's career-high 1205 rushing yards ... Caught one pass for four yards in postseason ... Played 19 offensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps in Super Bowl LVI vs. L.A. Rams (no stats).

2022—Started first two regular-season games as a second TE, before suffering right knee injury on Sept. 18 at Dallas ... Inactive for Games 3-4, then on Oct. 3 was placed on Reserve/Injured list, where he spent remainder of regular season and all of postseason.

2023—Played in all 17 games with 10 starts at TE ... Took over starting role in second half of season and started eight of final nine games ... Caught 22 passes for 163 yards and two TDs ... Played 18 offensive snaps in season opener at Cleveland (no stats), making first appearance in regular-season game since Week 2 of '22 campaign ... Scored first TD since 2020 season on Nov. 5 vs. Buffalo, turning dump pass from QB Joe Burrow into 22-yard TD before halftime; finished with three catches for 30 yards ... Caught 11-yard TD pass from QB Jake Browning on Nov. 26 vs. Pittsburgh to put Bengals ahead in second quarter ... Had three receptions in back-to-back games on Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh and Dec. 31 at Kansas City.

College:

Spent five seasons (2014-18) at Washington, with a redshirt year in '14 ... Played in 51 games with 40 starts ... Caught 46 passes for 487 yards and five TDs ... Key part of blocking effort that helped Washington RB Myles Gaskin top 1200 rushing yards in each of his four seasons.

High school/personal:

Hometown is Bellevue, Wash. ... Attended Newport High School in Bellevue, Wash., where he totaled 21 career catches for 496 yards and 11 TDs ... Five of his eight catches at Newport went for TDs as a senior ... Also lettered in high school basketball as a junior and senior ... Graduated from Washington in June 2018 with degree in communications; also received a sales certificate from Washington's business school.

Last updated July 2024