CINCINNATI — The Bengals will start training camp in Dayton Saturday without three projected starters - cornerback Darqueze Dennard, tackle Jonah Williams and guard Alex Richmond - and with the return of tackle Andre Smith.
Dennard, Williams, Redmond and cornerback Darius Phillips were placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday.
Dennard had been expected to be ready for camp after a minor scope on his knee in May, but he was limited to rehab work during minicamp. The team had already pronounced Williams out for the year following shoulder surgery. Redmond is suspended for the first four games anyway for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing drugs.
Running back Rodney Anderson, a sixth-round pick from Oklahoma who tore his ACL last season. was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.
All five will count against the team’s roster limit and can be activated to practice as soon as they are cleared medically.
The Bengals must think Smith is one of the Ghostbusters.
When you have a critical shortage on the offensive line, who ya gonna call?
The Bengals called the 32-year-old offensive tackle back again this week for his third stint with the team.
Smith's re-signing follows the loss of Williams and the retirement of guard Clint Boling due to medical reasons.
The Bengals could give Smith a look at both guard or tackle, since they are shorthanded at both.
Smith (6-4, 325), a Bengals' first-round pick in 2009, played seven seasons here before signing with the Vikings as a free agent for the 2016 season. Cut by Minnesota, he returned to the Bengals in 2017 and started seven games. The Bengals cut Smith three games into the 2018 season and he finished the year with the Cardinals, making eight starts.
The Bengals also signed long snapper Dan Godsil, a rookie from Indiana, and waived wide receiver Kermit Whitfield, who joined the Bengals as a free agent in 2017 and spent the last two seasons on the practice squad.
