When Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert underwent ankle surgery two months ago, the expectation was that he could return Week One, but might miss the first couple regular season games. That’s still the case.
Eifert is described as “on schedule” by the Cincinnati Enquirer, which reports that the Bengals hope Eifert will be ready for the September 11 opener but there’s still a chance that rehab could take longer than expected.
Eifert suffered the ankle injury in the Pro Bowl but waited four months to have surgery on it because he hoped it would heal without surgery. If he ends up missing regular season games, that will be yet another blow to the Pro Bowl, which is already viewed by many if not most players as more trouble than it’s worth. It’s hard to see why Eifert would want to play in a Pro Bowl again, given the trouble it’s causing him now.
The more immediate concern, however, is the start of the regular season. Eifert is Andy Dalton’s favorite red zone target, and Dalton isn’t sure if Eifert will be there when the season starts.