Hayden Hurst Praises Joe Burrow, Believes Bengals Are Perfect Fit: 'I Made the Right Choice'

The 29-year-old signed with Cincinnati in March.

CINCINNATI — Losing C.J. Uzomah in free agency was arguably the biggest loss of the offseason for a Bengals team that added key pieces on offense. 

Uzomah signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Jets in March. The Bengals quickly pivoted and signed tight end Hayden Hurst to a one-year, $3.5 million contract. 

The former first round pick thought Cincinnati was a great fit after spending the past two seasons in Atlanta. He's still happy about the decision a few months later. 

"I made the right choice," Hurst said on Tuesday. "We all know what 9 (Joe Burrow) is capable of. He's incredible." 

Hurst has shown plenty of burst during offseason workouts. He's clearly the most athletic tight end on the roster. He should be able to make a difference in an offense that has Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon. 

After being the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Hurst struggled to catch on in Baltimore and Atlanta. 

Mark Andrews emerged for the Ravens early on and the Falcons took Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick last offseason. Hurst feels like Cincinnati is a perfect fit.

Related: Watch Highlights From Tuesday's Practice

"I think this staff finally understands what I'm capable of," Hurst said. "It's taken five years, unfortunately. I think God put me in Cincinnati for a reason. I'm just gonna do my job, buckle down, learn this playbook and just work my ass off. That's all I can do."

Hurst had a career best 56 receptions for 571 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. The Bengals are hoping he can top those numbers this season. 

"We have high expectations for him," Zac Taylor said. "He’s a smart guy to begin with, who’s been in now three different systems so it makes sense to him. He’s done these concepts before. He understands why we’re doing some of these things. I think he’s done a really nice job so far."

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