Evaluating TCU tight end Pro Wells’ fit with the Cincinnati Bengals

There were a few mock drafts that pegged TCU Horned Frog tight end Pro Wells to the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round. While Wells ultimately wasn’t drafted, the Bengals actually came around, signing the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder to an UDFA contract with a reported $15,000 signing bonus, according to the Star-Telegram’s Drew Davison.

An effective red-zone threat, Wells scored eight touchdowns over his last two seasons with the Horned Frogs, earning Second-Team All-Big 12 recognition in 2019, when Wells hauled in five touchdowns. Used primarily as a pass-catcher at TCU, Wells will compete for a roster spot with the Bengals, who return veterans C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample for 2021. Uzomah, who has one year left on his deal, tore his Achilles’ tendon last season, while Sample, who stepped up in Uzomah’s absence, is under contract through 2022.

Cincinnati also acquired former LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss, son of NFL legend Randy Moss, through waivers from the Washington Football Team this past month, adding to the team’s depth at the position. It’s likely that Moss, Wells and 2017 seventh-rounder Mason Schreck will battle for third-team reps as the Bengals prepare for the eventual return of Heisman winner Joe Burrow, who blew out his knee in a game this past season.

Although he spent four years with the Horned Frogs, Wells finished his career with 403 receiving yards on only 32 receptions. However, Wells averaged over 12 yards per catch, an indicator of his playmaking ability in the red zone and over the middle. Wells may have been seldom used at TCU, but he appeared in 22 games over the last two seasons, and his combination of size and pass-catching ability should enable him to be competitive for a roster spot in Cincinnati.

A former basketball player who only played football in high school for one year, Wells may be raw in terms of his talent and experience, but the Bengals may have found one of the steals of the undrafted free-agent signing period if they can channel what he did in 2019. For Wells to make the roster, he may need to beat out Moss, who was teammates with both Burrow and 2021 first-rounder Ja’Marr Chase at LSu.