CINCINNATI – Don’t expect a reunion between Cincinnati Bengals and former All-Pro player Andrew Whitworth.
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor chuckles at the idea of enticing Whitworth, who retired after last season, from broadcasting to fill the Bengals’ void at the right tackle. In other words, Taylor almost ruled out the possibility of Whitworth.
“We have good people in the building that we trust,” Taylor said with a laugh.
Taylor said start processing now La’el Collins likely to miss the rest of the season after he injured his left knee in the previous team’s win New England Patriots on Saturday. Taylor said the team is still gathering more information but is “not optimistic” Collins will be able to return.
In a podcast released on Tuesday, Whitworth said that whenever an attack lineman is injured, his Twitter messages get hectic. That’s especially true when Collins is injured.
Whitworth retired earlier this year after he helped The Los Angeles Rams beat Team Bengal in Super Bowl LVI. The 41-year-old ended a 16-year career that includes two All-Pro picks, four Pro Bowl nominations and Walter Payton’s Man of the Year award in 2021. After The Bengals signed Whitworth in 2006, where he played backhand for Cincinnati for the next 11 seasons before ending his career with five years with the Rams. Since retiring, Whitworth has been part of Amazon Prime Video’s NFL coverage, which debuted this season.
Above Podcast “Season with Peter Schrager”Whitworth said he has never ruled out a return.
“I think for me, who am I, I’ve been saying this since the day I retired, I’d never say never,” Whitworth said. “There’s always a chance. I like adventures. I like to take chances.”
He did note, however, that he spent most of his career in the left tackle position and that the transition to right tackle was difficult. Whitworth added that any decision to return is not about tarnishing his legacy but rather to not disappoint future teammates.
“I don’t want to go there and ruin their chances, without knowing what I’m really capable of,” Whitworth said, referring to Cincinnati’s post-season odds.
third year player Hakeem Adeniji is expected to replace Collins for the remainder of the season. Adeniji, who ended his college career at Kansas with a left-back tackle, is experienced in both aspects of the script. As a rookie, he made three starts on the left tackle and once on the right tackle. Last season, Adeniji started the last nine games, including Super Bowl LVI, at right-back.
Adeniji told reporters on Tuesday: “It’s a new type of defender that played last year. “It’s a more natural kind of play. There’s a full camp and at the beginning of that season, in contrast to last year, I definitely feel a lot better.”
Taylor will not be making any positional statements for the team’s upcoming game against buffalo bill on “Monday Night Football.” He said that if Cincinnati’s scouting department came up with any potential options for new players, he would consider them.
However, the fourth-year coach reiterated his confidence in those already on the roster.
“We have people that we already have here growing, working in our system, that we have a high degree of confidence in that can help us do the things we need to do,” Taylor said. in this year”.
In other trauma news, the Bengals could have a tight finish Hayden Hurst for the Bills match. Hurst has missed the past three games because of a right calf injury. Taylor said he was downgraded to the team’s Week 16 win over the Patriots for precautionary reasons.
“I think if we can wait another nine days, he’ll be in good shape this week,” Taylor said. “So very optimistic about him.”
