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Sweat beaded across Cedric Ogbuehi’s beard, his black headband soaked an even darker shade. The torn rotator cuff that landed him on injured reserve for the 2016 season finale healed without surgery, and for the first time as a professional Ogbuehi is looking forward to a healthy and full offseason workout regimen.

“I’m excited,” the 24-year-old offensive lineman said. “It’s my first camp. I’m excited to just get these workouts, get running and just everything. First everything, really. This is the time where you get to slow the game down and work on technique, and I never got to do that, so I’m excited to do it this year and just start over again.”

Ogbuehi spent part of his offseason in Los Angeles working at the Unbreakable Performance center, a mixed martial arts facility frequented by NFL players. Ogbuehi sought out the training in an effort to build off an admittedly disappointing 2016 that saw him start the year at right tackle, drop into a platoon and then ultimately head to the bench as he transitioned to the left side.

“Leverage, boxing, shoulder strength – just overall workouts; (it) is a good workout,” he said of his offseason training regimen. “It went well. I got stronger. Shoulders feel good.”

The beginning of 2017 mirrors the start of 2016 in a way, as Ogbuehi is opening the spring as a starting tackle. The difference is he is replacing longtime stalwart and All-Pro Andrew Whitworth on the left side, and he has 14 games (12 starts) of shaky production to try and build off of.

Whitworth texted Ogbuehi at 6 a.m. on March 9 to tell him he was headed to the Los Angeles Rams, and that he believed in the third-year pro.

“I’m excited to play left tackle,” Ogbuehi said. “It’s where I feel comfortable.

“I’m excited to have a position and work on that position only and get better at that position.”

The work Ogbuehi put in over the summer didn’t go unnoticed, either.

“He put in the time, put in the work and he’s going to get this offseason – I don’t think he had an offseason last year – and so he’s going to have the time to work on filling that role,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said. “Obviously Ced knows that he wished he could have played a little better at times, but I think all you can do is put your head down and work and he’s done that. I’m so happy for him, and I have all the confidence in the world that he’s going to play at a high level.”

Over on the right side, fellow 2015 draft pick Jake Fisher is going to get his first shot at holding down the starting right tackle position after ending last year in that position.

“The opportunity is there and I’m going to take,” Fisher said flatly. “That’s what I pride myself on. I pride myself on honoring the game, honoring my teammates, doing everything I can to take care of myself, be accessible. I’m a team player and these guys I’m playing with are team players. We’ve got great coaches, great young guys, great old guys and we’re just going to all bring it together.”

Like Ogbuehi, Fisher hit the gym in the summer to reshape his body to prepare for his third season. He said he is between 310 and 315 pounds, up from 285 at the end of last year.

 

“We’re bringing what we have to the game I’m going to give it my all,” Fisher said. “I’m going to take care of my teammates and take care of the game plans and see what happens.”

Perhaps there is no more of an interested party in Fisher and Ogbuehi’s play this season than Dalton, but the seventh-year quarterback expressed full confidence in the duo, along with veteran Andre Smit, in replacing former starters, Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler.

“I think it’s one of those things where when we drafted both of them, this was kind of the plan you know?,” Dalton said. “It was going to happen at some point, we just didn’t know exactly when.

“I think when we drafted both those guys we kind of hand the replacements I place and so now it’s time for them to step up and play and play at a high level because those are two big, big shoes to fill.”

Smith eager to show out

Chris Smith couldn’t contain a wide smile Monday as the newest Bengals defensive end got himself settled into his locker following his acquisition from the Jacksonville Jaguars via a trade on April 11.

The Bengals had been pursuing Smith, a fifth-round pick in 2014, for over a year before landing him this offseason for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft.

“It kind of felt like being drafted all over again,” Smith said. “It went viral before I hung up the phone. It was crazy. I’m just glad to be a part of this. There’s a good thing going here, a playoff team. It’s great, man.”

Smith recorded 4.5 sacks in 19 career games for the Jaguars and never could consistently find playing time, but he said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to compete in pass-rush situations with the Bengals.

“Jacksonville, as far as the people, they were great but it was one of those where I couldn’t really get on the field like I wanted to and display what I do,” he said. “I just thank God for this opportunity and just having a fresh, new start.”