The Bengals got good news about right tackle Andre Smith this weekend when the MRI on the left knee he tweaked against the Cowboys came back clean.
That means Smith is on track to start in Week One, but it’s not so clear if Andrew Whitworth will be lining up on the opposite side of the offensive line. Whitworth has been in and out of practice all summer because of knee troubles and has yet to play in a preseason game. On Monday, Whitworth spoke to reporters and didn’t have much to say as far as a timetable for his return.
“I’m in the middle of the process,” Whitworth said, via Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
While Whitworth waits to advance, another injured Bengal named Andrew is making a bit more tangible process in his recovery from injury. Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins ditched the walking boot and cast from his injured ankle, although Geoff Hobson of the team’s website reports that he’s still considered a likely candidate to wind up on injured reserve with the designation to return. That would mean he’s out of at least the first eight weeks of the regular season, but his improvement raises the likelihood that he’ll contribute at some point in the season.