Tight end Devin Asiasi among 3 waiver claims by the Bengals

During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals front office went against their usual philosophy by trading up in the draft twice.

Because the front office believed so strongly in cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and safety Tycen Anderson, they dealt an extra draft pick to move up and add each of them. As a result, with six drafted rookies instead of eight, the Bengals didn’t get to add as much depth as they could have.

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The Bengals filled those holes on the roster on Wednesday by claiming tight end Devin Asiasi, offensive guard Max Scharping and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.

“We're happy because we see fits for these guys and maybe other teams didn't, the way they're structured, the way their depth was,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “For us, these three hit positions where we felt like we could help ourselves.

“We only carried four (defensive) tackles, that's pretty rare for us, so now we've found that fifth (defensive) tackle. We're always looking to help our offensive line out, turning over every rock to make that happen. Max Scharping becomes available, he's a guy we liked so we add him to the mix. Devin, obviously we have the issues on the injury front at tight end — we think some guys are going to get healthy and they'll be able to help us — but he was able to add to the mix and we think he's a good football player and will help us."

Here’s where the three new additions fit on the roster. 

Tight end Devin Asiasi

When the Bengals beat the Steelers last November, Bengals backup tight end Drew Sample played the best game of his career. Running back Joe Mixon averaged 5.9 yards per carry and the Bengals relied on Sample’s blocking in two tight end sets.

Sample is currently ramping back up after a leg injury, and his availability for Week 1 is up in the air. Asiasi, the New England Patriots’ third-round pick in 2020, is one of the biggest tight ends in the NFL and can help fill that role.

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“I'm not gonna pigeon-hole him as a blocking tight end, but he's a big guy,” Taylor said. “I'm not gonna guess what his weight is, but it's up there. He's one of the bigger tight ends. There's a presence that he can bring there in the run game and in protections. At the same time, there's some good stuff as a route runner on tape that lets you know he can do that as well."

Asiasi only has two career receptions, and he only has played in 10 career games. Coming out of UCLA, Asiasi was viewed as having upside as a pass catcher because of his strength and hands.

“(Tight ends coach) James Casey watches more tight end tape than any person on planet earth and he watches all of these guys at all times,” Taylor said. “This was a guy that he certainly felt good about, our scouts felt good about. We watched him the past couple days and submitted the claim on him."

Offensive guard Max Scharping 

Before Wednesday, the Bengals backup offensive guards were Jackson Carman, a second-year player who had a disappointing training camp, and Trey Hill, who mostly plays center.

Scharping immediately steps in as the Bengals’ most experienced guard. The Houston Texans’ 2019 second-round pick has made 33 career starts and graded well as a pass protector. Scharping also has the ability to chip in as a tackle.

“I don’t know that we were looking to add a player just to add a player,” Taylor said. “We want to make sure it’s the right person. That’s why we put in one claim for one offensive lineman and it was Max. We’re excited to get him in the mix and see what he is about.”

Defensive tackle Jay Tufele

Early in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Bengals were looking to add a versatile defensive lineman. They ended up with defensive end Cam Sample, who has developed into a rotational pass rusher. 

The defensive lineman taken before Sample was Tufele, who was picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“We had high regard for Jay coming out of college, coming out of USC,” Taylor said. “We took Cam Sample right after they took Jay. We are very happy with Cam. Now, you can add Jay to the mix as well as a good, young developmental player that can be that fifth (defensive) tackle right now.”

While he isn’t guaranteed an active spot on game days, Tufele fills an area on the depth chart the Bengals have been looking to add more to all offseason. He’s known for his ability to rush the passer up the middle, and Tufele can compete with or back up rookie defensive tackle Zach Carter for a rotational role.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Devin Asiasi among 3 waiver claims by the Cincinnati Bengals