The Bengals’ inactives outside of Higgins (quad) are pedestrian. McLachlan has yet to play this season and all wideouts outside of Higgins are active. Jermaine Burton and Andrei Iosivas will handle larger roles for the Bengals against the Eagles for Week 8.

Starting his journey out of Southern Utah, McLachlan (6’5/244) was a wide receiver and tight end for the Thunderbirds before transferring to Arizona as a walk-on in 2022. He totaled 79 receptions for 984 yards and four touchdowns over his two seasons as a Wildcat. McLachlan is explosive and gritty on the field, with good athleticism to match his receiving potential. At the combine, he ran a 4.61 40-yard dash and jumped a 35-inch vertical, both top-four among tight end prospects. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says, “his ‘whatever it takes’ mentality is the kind of intangible that often turns prospects into pros.” While McLachlan profiles better as a receiver than a blocker at the next level, his intangible “hustle” will be appreciated in the NFL. There’s certainly opportunity for targets at the tight end position now that he’s in Cincinnati.