Inside The Huskies

Ex-Husky TE Drew Sample Earns Bengals Contract Extension

The former UW standout has been in the NFL for five seasons.

Dan Raley

In this story:

University of Washington tight ends remain a valuable NFL commodity.

On Monday, the Cincinnati Bengals announced they have re-signed former Husky Drew Sample to a 3-year, $10.5 million contract extension as he comes off five seasons with the Ohio franchise.

Sample's 2023 receiving numbers don't necessarily jump out at you — 22 catches for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns — but he has built a lasting reputation for becoing an exceptional blocker as well as a reliable pass-catcher.

In his pro football career, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound Sample from Bellevue, Washington, has accumulated 80 catches for 621 yards and 3 scores.

It was veteran players such as him that enabled the Bengals to post a 9-8 record last season and have a modicum of success with former Husky and back-up Jake Browning at quarterback after Cincinnati lost marquee player Joe Burrow to a season-ending injury.

Sample was a second-round pick and the 52nd player taken for the Bengals in the 2019 NFL draft. 

At the UW, he caught 46 passes for 487 yards and 5 TDs in his career while playing in 2015-18. In his UW career, he shared the tight-end position group with players such as Will Dissly, Cade Otton, Hunter Bryant, Jack Westover and Devin Culp, all eventual pros or now headed to the NFL. 

Dissly, however, is seeking a new team after the Seattle Seahawks recently released him.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories.

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on X — @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook — at Inside the Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12

Published
Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

Home/Husky Legends