The Bengals are switching punters in advance of Sunday’s home wild-card game against the Chargers.
Cincinnati announced Tuesday it had signed former Patriots and Steelers punter Zoltan Mesko. He replaces Shawn Powell, whom the Bengals waived Tuesday after a two-game stint. Powell had filled for Kevin Huber, who is on injured reserve with a broken jaw.
Mesko, 27, was the Patriots’ punter from 2010 through 2012. New England waived him before the beginning of the 2013 season, and he signed with Pittsburgh, where he posted a 36.7-yard net average in seven games. The Steelers waived Mesko on October 29.
Mesko’s best season was in 2011, when he recorded a 41.5-yard net average in 16 games.
Powell averaged 34.7 net yards on seven punts for Cincinnati. In the season finale vs. Baltimore, Powell’s 10-yard third-quarter shank gave the Ravens excellent field position, and they capitalized by tying the game.
In another roster move Tuesday, the Bengals signed tight end Kevin Brock, who played in four games as a reserve for the Chiefs in the regular season. The 27-year-old Block effectively replaces Alex Smith, who was placed on injured reserve Monday.