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Bengals have options at right tackle with Andre Smith out


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Bengals have options at right tackle with Andre Smith out
November, 28, 2014
Nov 28
3:10
PM ET
By Coley Harvey | ESPN.com

 

CINCINNATI -- When Andrew Whitworth saw fellow Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse hunched over in pain on the field last week in Houston, he felt like he had been punched in the gut with a bowling ball.

"I was nervous," Whitworth said.

He wasn't the only one.
 

Several other faces on the Bengals' sideline looked aghast for the few brief moments trainers jogged out to examine Newhouse's right eye. The eye had just been poked while Newhouse was blocking the Texans' J.J. Watt in the second quarter. Already down one tackle following Andre Smith's left arm injury that proved to be season-ending, the Bengals couldn't afford to lose Newhouse.

But if they had to, they were ready.

For the two offensive plays Newhouse missed, starting left guard Clint Boling was moved to the newly vacated right tackle position and backup Mike Pollak came off the bench to play left guard. It wasn't the most ideal setup, but it worked nonetheless. It's also a lineup that could be used Sunday at Tampa Bay if the Bengals find themselves in another emergency situation.

Boling has spent all four seasons of his NFL career playing guard, but he played tackle on occasion in college at Georgia. He also has practiced at tackle in the preseason and at other random times of the year, so the skill set remains, if it's needed.

"It's something I would feel comfortable doing," Boling said this week, when asked about playing right tackle in a pinch.

In addition to Boling, the Bengals also have Tanner Hawkinson, who likely will be part of the 46-man game day active roster the rest of the season. He's only been active for six games this year.

Newhouse wouldn't say if the vision had fully returned to his right eye, but he did say it was well enough that he "could play a football game."

Regardless how the Bengals ultimately replace Smith, a veteran who, despite his struggles this season, gave the line stability, they have to make sure his understudies keep the unit afloat.

"We're obviously not going to replace Andre, but we've got to replace the productivity," coach Marvin Lewis said, "and Marshall's got to continue to grow and fit into us and our system, and it do it our way, the way he's coached to do it time in and time out, and everybody around him has to really bolster things and pick up the pace."

Newhouse was a free-agency addition in the offseason, coming to Cincinnati after four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Signed after former Bengals tackle Anthony Collins rejected their offer in favor of Tampa Bay, Newhouse was the best regarded swing tackle on the market when he signed with Cincinnati.

Pro Football Focus hasn't been kind in grading Newhouse this season. He has an overall minus-11.8 grade. That's PFF's 17th-worst grade among offensive tackles.

Still, there's no denying that even with help, once Newhouse entered last Sunday in place of Smith, he kept Watt in check and didn't allow him to sack quarterback Andy Dalton or deflect one of his passes at the line.

"I would hope that Marshall really would be able to build off of that," Whitworth said. "He's had limited snaps in a game, but every time he goes out and plays for us, he's going to play a little better. ... Playing against a guy like J.J. Watt, I'm sure it will slow down for him a little bit."

 

 
 

 

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