Bengals inch closer to signing Utecht

According to the team’s Web site the Bengals and Ben Utecht have agreed to a deal.

Other sources are confirming the deal.

However, Utecht is a restricted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, which means that the Colts has seven days to match the offer.

According to Bengals.com, Indy has until midnight on Friday to match.

If the Colts don’t match, the Bengals would possibly have something that they haven’t had since the days of Rodney Holman - a true receiving threat at the tight end position.

You can argue that Tony “Stone Hands” McGee was the last receiving threat at tight end, but with his nickname (I didn’t make it up, it was commonly known and said over Bengal radio broadcasts in the 90s) I believe that Utecht would be an upgrade over McGee.

Utecht is a 6-foot-6 251-pound tight end that has 68 catches for 741 yards in the last two seasons. At Indianapolis, Utecht had to battle for touches with receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stockley/Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark. In Cincinnati, Utecht would be No. 1 receiving option at tight end and could provide a nice complement to Reggie Kelly, who is known as a blocking tight end.

The Colts are not expected to match the Bengals offer.

Indianapolis could have gave Utecht a $1.4 million tender offer, which would have required a second-round pick as compensation - meaning Cincinnati would have to offer more than $1.4 million and give up its second-round pick to the Colts to acquire Utecht. Instead the Colts offered only $927,000, which allows them to match any offer.

Personally, I love this move - that is if it happens.