The Cincinnati Bengals have the makings of what could be the most explosive offense in the NFL. They are loaded with talent at the skill positions around quarterback Joe Burrow, who has cemented himself as one of the best young players at the position in the league.

At wide receiver, the Bengals have arguably the best trio in the NFL with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. In the backfield, Joe Mixon will be handling things along with rookie Chase Brown. At tight end, Cincinnati is hoping that Irv Smith Jr. can stay healthy and realize his immense potential.

Smith was signed as a free agent to replace Hayden Hurst, who signed with the Carolina Panthers. There will be a lot of pressure on Smith to produce as Hurst was a reliable option for Burrow over the middle of the field.

Availability has been the toughest thing for Smith in his career. He has played in only 37 games since being a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. That includes missing the entire 2021 campaign because of injury.

It wouldn’t be the worst idea for the Bengals to add some more insurance at tight end in case Smith cannot stay healthy. Drew Sample is currently the No. 2 with Mitchell Wilcox on the active/PUP list. Behind them is Devin Asiasi.

Looking to add some insurance, one player who could fit the bill is Mo Alie-Cox of the Indianapolis Colts. Alie-Cox was made available via trade earlier this offseason, but nothing has yet to come to fruition.

The Colts gave Alie-Cox a chance to be their No. 1 option at tight end last season but he didn’t make the most of his opportunity. He struggled as a blocker, ranking 55th out of 72 players with a run-block grade of 49.3. It was the worst run-blocking grade of his career and he didn’t produce much as a pass catcher either, reeling in 19 receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

What could a trade between the Bengals and Colts look like? It likely wouldn’t cost much to acquire him, as a sixth-round pick from Cincinnati could get the job done. As a pairing with Smith, Alie-Cox could produce more efficiently, getting put in advantageous positions.

The Colts saw enough in him to agree to a three-year, $17.5 million deal. He has not lived up to that but could refind his form with a change of scenery and landing with the Bengals. Moving on from Alie-Cox would also save the Colts $5.3 million.