On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Bengals completed filling out their 16-player apply squad. They introduced three outdoors additions from different groups, these being offensive sort out Blake Freeland, cornerback Trikweze Bridges, and defensive finish Garmon Randolph.
Freeland is the most definitely to see a path to being known as as much as the 53-man roster early within the season, with the query marks on the swing sort out spot.
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Blake Freeland’s Resume
Freeland is a 25-year-old who performed school soccer at BYU. He had really been a quarterback initially for his first couple of seasons in highschool earlier than switching to tight finish as a junior and senior.
At BYU, he switched to the offensive line. That athleticism nonetheless confirmed up when he jumped a 37″ vertical on the NFL Scouting Mix, a file that also stands for offensive linemen.
Freeland was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts within the 4th spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft. He performed in simply over 700 snaps throughout his rookie season. He performed in 16 video games that season, beginning in 9 of them. He had begins at each left and proper sort out that 12 months.
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Freeland’s potential to play on both aspect was possible a promoting level for Scott Peters and the remainder of the Bengals offensive employees.
Freeland solely performed in 23 complete snaps throughout his second season with the Colts. Then he fractured his leg within the preseason earlier than the 2025 season started. Freeland did play in 153 snaps throughout this preseason. He completed with a very spectacular 74.5 run-blocking grade per PFF.
On the flip aspect, his go blocking grade was a 43.1 this preseason. Going again and watching the tape, I have never seen it’s almost that dangerous, so take the pass-blocking grade with an enormous grain of salt.
Freeland nonetheless has some issues with dealing with NFL energy. Weighing simply 302 kilos, his anchor energy consistency is a priority. He does have glorious athleticism, good size with virtually 34″ arms, and spectacular leg drive as a run blocker.
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The 6’8″ Freeland was not claimed off of waivers. In the end, he landed in Cincinnati as a member of the apply squad. With precise NFL taking part in expertise at sort out, it would not be a bit shocking if Freeland finally ends up being the swing sort out for the Bengals as soon as he’s up to the mark on the playbook.
What are your ideas on the addition of Blake Freeland? Will he be capable to are available and shortly earn the swing sort out spot over Foster, Rivers, and Hinton? Hold forth within the feedback.