Dennis Roland
Updated: 8 p.m.
When the Bengals put left guard Clint Boling on season-ending injured reserve with a torn ACL Tuesday, they turned to a familiar face to add depth along the offensive line in the person of Dennis Roland.
Roland, the 6-9 man mountain who plays right tackle and guard and played in every game of Cincinnati's three previous playoff seasons, returned to the club after he was released following the third game of this season to make room for nickel back Chris Crocker.
The Roland signing doesn't appear to tip where the Bengals are going to play left tackle Andrew Whitworth this Sunday in the 1 p.m. game against the Colts at Paul Brown Stadium. When Boling got hurt on the fifth play of Sunday's game, Whitworth moved to left guard and while Anthony Collins went to left tackle Whitworth had his way in the middle.
The Bengals frequently made Roland eligible as an extra tackle, particularly early in his tenure. Now with No. 74 back, he may not be active with fifth-round pick Tanner Hawkinson able to play left tackle as well as guard.
The Bengals have high regard for Collins's athleticism in pass protection and it would be needed against Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis, a Pro Bowler having a Defensive Player of the Year season. Mathis, who routinely switches it up over both tackles to rush, has 15.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He already has the NFL record for career forced fumbles off sacks with 41 and one more sack gives him the team record Dwight Freeney set nine years ago.
Collins started last Sunday in place of right tackle Andre Smith, but head coach Marvin Lewis wouldn't say why. Putting Collins at left tackle and Whitworth at guard would put the team's five best players on the field.
The biggest impact on the decision may be if indeed right guard Kevin Zeitler returns after injuring his foot Nov. 10 in Baltimore.
ANIMATED BATTLE: Marvin Lewis is a cartoon character and that's a good thing.
The Bengals head coach battles Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin next week in another AFC North scrum, but he'll co-star with him in the next episode of the animated series NFL RUSH ZONE: Guardians Unleashed.
Lewis and Tomlin make cameo animated appearances in the show that airs Wednesday night at 8:30 on Nicktoons with a number of encores throughout the week. It is also going to be on NFL Network on Saturday at 8 a.m.
Episode 303 of the third season features the Guardians teaming up with Lewis to battle evil villains Sudden Death & the Anticorians. The Guardians' new friend Jackson, the stepson of their coach, helps the Canton Bulldogs prepare for their big game against the Mini-Steelers. Ish still struggles with not being a full Guardian, but Lewis and Tomlin remind him that being on the sidelines is not the same as being sidelined.
PLAY 60: Four Bengals, Who Dey, and a group of cheerleaders rallied at the Heritage Elementary School in Liberty Township on Tuesday to celebrate the Bengals grant of $10,000 to the school as part of the NFL Play 60 Super School Contest.
Running backs Giovani Bernard and Cedric Peerman, defensive tackle Wallace Gilberry and wide receiver Marvin Jones spoke to a special assembly and led the students in fitness activities.
The NFL PLAY 60 Super School contest selected one school in each of the 32 NFL markets and two non-NFL markets in pushing the concept of children getting 60 minutes of exercise a day. Winning schools received a $10,000 NFL PLAY 60 grant for health and wellness programming or equipment and a visit from NFL players. In addition to the grant, the NFL donated all fitness equipment used during the physical education class for students to use in the future.
To celebrate the start of the NFL season through the Back to Football campaign, schools were encouraged to participate in the NFL PLAY 60 Super School contest and submit three essays explaining how they planned to show their NFL team pride and incorporate football into their lesson plans. Schools were also asked to demonstrate their commitment to youth health and wellness by submitting essays on their school's game plan for teaching students the importance of physical education and nutrition.
SQUAD MOVE: The Bengals welcomed back another offensive lineman when they signed center Scott Wedige to the practice squad and cut defensive end Aston Whiteside to make room. The 6-4, 310-pound Wedige was on the Bengals practice squad for Games 9-11 of last season before signing with the Arizona roster and playing in two games. He opened 2013 training camp with Arizona and was claimed on waivers by the Giants on Aug. 20 and was waived three days later.
