CINCINNATI -- Andre Smith's left triceps injury was far worse than the Cincinnati Bengals had originally hoped, forcing him to be placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.
An MRI on Monday revealed he tore the triceps.
The starting right tackle was hurt trying to block Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt in the first quarter of Sunday's 22-13 win at NRG Stadium. As Watt pushed off him and jumped for an Andy Dalton throw near the Bengals' goal line, Smith pulled up. Watt ended up swatting the pass for his seventh deflection this season. Smith fell to his knees, holding his arm, before medical staff was summoned.
With Smith now done for the year, the Bengals on Tuesday signed free-agent lineman Jamon Meredith, a sixth-year player who most recently played for the Packers. He was waived by Green Bay on Nov. 15, exactly 11 days after the Colts let him go. On Indy's roster for nine games, Meredith played in four of them. He was inactive for one game in Green Bay before his departure.
Meredith's addition primarily is to help shore up the Bengals' depth. It appears that one of two scenarios could happen as the Bengals try to replace Smith: Either Marshall Newhouse will continue to come off the bench in Smith's place at right tackle, or the Bengals will consider moving starting left guard Clint Boling to right tackle and bring Mike Pollak off the bench to play left guard. Boling played tackle in college, and he became the emergency right tackle for two plays Sunday when Newhouse went down after getting poked in the eye.
After Smith's departure, Newhouse didn't allow Watt to record a sack or a pass deflection. According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up only two quarterback pressures.
This injury was the latest in a series of ailments for Smith. He had concussion problems in training camp and barely practiced all preseason because of them. On Nov. 2, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out one game. He had just gotten over that injury Sunday and was expecting to make up for a disappointing stretch of games that were defined by untimely penalties. One holding call against Carolina, for instance, came on a Jeremy Hill touchdown run that probably would have won that game in regulation. Instead, the Bengals tied in overtime.
Smith becomes the sixth Bengals player to go on season-ending IR this season. A seventh, tight end Tyler Eifert, was placed on the short-term IR in Week 2, but has yet to practice. He was expected to play again three weeks ago. As the weeks go by, his return is seeming less and less likely, although coach Marvin Lewis contends he will be back this year.
Along with Smith's and Meredith's moves, the Bengals also announced Tuesday that linebacker Terrell Manning, signed to the practice squad last week, was claimed by the Giants, who added him onto their active roster.