Former Steelers TE Zach Gentry signs with Cincinnati Bengals

Former Steelers tight end Zach Gentry has signed with a division rival. Per NFL.com, he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a member of the practice squad.

Gentry, a fifth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Steelers, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Pittsburgh. He has appeared in 40 career games, playing in all 34 regular season contests each of the last two seasons.

In four seasons, Gentry has 39 receptions on 49 targets, totaling 303 yards. The tight end also caught four passes for 33 yards in a lone playoff appearance in 2021. He has yet to catch a touchdown pass.

Cincinnati opens the 2023 regular season on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Will Joe Burrow play for Bengals Week 1?

One of the bigger stories of the offseason occurred when Joe Burrow suffered a calf strain during training camp. At first, it seemed like the star quarterback might’ve suffered a more serious injury.

While calf strains can keep players sidelined for a while, it’s not nearly as devastating as other potential issues. So, while it wasn’t ideal, it was a better diagnosis.

But Burrow’s status for Week 1 remains up in the air. Although there is more optimism that he will be able to play in Sunday’s game against the Browns.

“I think he’s in a good place,” Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. “And we got a good plan in place for him to get ready for Week 1.”

Burrow has returned to practice and is trending towards getting the start for Sunday’s opener, per NFL.com. And on the practice field, the quarterback has looked pretty solid according to the staff.

“I thought he looked good. It was good to get him out there,” coach Zac Taylor said of Burrow. “It certainly energizes the team when you get a chance to get your starting quarterback back there, so I thought he looked good.

“It was just good to get him out with the team and calling plays in the huddle and all that good stuff at practice. I think that was encouraging for everybody.”

Cincinnati concluded the 2022 regular season with a 12-4 record and reached the AFC Championship Game. The Bengals fell short of a second straight Super Bowl appearance, losing a 23-20 decision to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sunday’s game between the Bengals and Browns kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.