Andre Smith Removed From PUP; Finally Practicing With The Team

by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 17, 2010 4:25 PM EDT in Injury

Of all the things that could have happened today, this one surprised me the most. Well, after the midget ran into my office and sang showtunes for five minutes to a group of coworkers that were clapping gleefully. Intense, bro. So in reality, this one surprised me the second most.

Bengals offensive lineman and running-the-risk-of-being-called-a-bust Andre Smith is back on the field Tuesday. He's not just standing around. He's practicing. According to Geoff Hobson, Smith is no longer eligible to be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list because... he's PRACTICING!

“He’s lost a significant amount of weight,” said (Bengals trainer Chip) Morton, who wouldn’t elaborate. “He has a ways to go. But from what we’ve seen in this three-week process, he’s been very committed and worked very hard.”

This is good news indeed. While we've discussed, at length, Smith's struggle to get going with the Bengals, it's actually nice that he's back to practicing. We urge the Bengals, however, not to conduct non-contact drills. For the love of god, no non-contact drills.

With Smith finally joining the team, it should give him enough time to get ready for the regular season, provided everything goes accordingly. After that, we can finally put this right tackle rotation thing to bed and get back to watching midgets signing showtunes.

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muy bien mi gordo hombre

by quickslant on Aug 17, 2010 4:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

indeed

by Cry on Aug 17, 2010 4:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Does this scare anyone else?

The last time we heard of this kind of action he smashed his foot..

by JamesShively on Aug 17, 2010 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

I'm all for it....

…and hope that he plays Friday. I have very little faith in the guy and expect him to either get injured or have no contribution. if he does get hurt, the sooner that happens, the better. we can throw his fat ass on IR and hope that Mike Brown goes out and signs someone.

by Tyler Pochocinco on Aug 17, 2010 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

keep our fingers crossed

www.fantasydaddy.com

by Joe Goodberry on Aug 17, 2010 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

Insterstate 71 and State Route 63 – otherwise known as Benson and Bernard’s highway junction to that touchdown place

3 yards and a pile of dust

by Hudepohl Dey on Aug 17, 2010 4:46 PM EDT reply actions

I thought I-71 is now called the Beltway?

Good to hear he’s ready. 3 a days since training camp. THAT’S What I’m talking about.

I’ll bet he’s in pretty good shape now and probably still isn’t out of the doghouse, meaning slacking off anytime soon IS NOT AN OPTION.

Here’s to Andre starting and playin the entire preseason.

2010 - The Year of the Tiger.

by UpStateMike on Aug 17, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope he can start and be productive..

Hopefully he proves to be worthy of a top ten pick. If he comes in and doesn’t perform better than Roland than what have we really gained?

by JamesShively on Aug 17, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Andre

Honestly, I hope he is healthy and plays all season . . .then he actually works out to stay in some sort of shape in the off-season.

I bet in college he just showed up in early august and used preseason camp to get in shape for the regular season and it flew with the coaches becasue of his elite talent. That doesn’t fly in the NFL. The good news is he just seems young and maybe a bit immature or impressionable, unlike a guy like Jamarcus Russell who was just a bum.

by Cedric Benson Boat Party on Aug 17, 2010 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

A healthy Andre Smith tremendously helps this offense and for Marvin to let him on the field

must mean that he thinks that he is able to contribute. Hopefully we will get to see him on Friday.

Kenneth Lewis Moore

by lightskin350 on Aug 17, 2010 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

If he works hard there's no denying his talent.

Hopefully he stays healthy and keeps up this hard work.

"Before I write I let my mind go blind and let the Lord do His thing. " -Tupac Shakur

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it looks like work." -Thomas Edison

by sexsalad on Aug 17, 2010 5:27 PM EDT reply actions

No Confidence

I must preface this comment by noting that I really, really hope that I’m wrong…

I just have zero confidence in this guy. He just seems totally out to lunch; he’s got no idea what’s expected of him or how to be a pro. He might not have the Jamarcus Russell drug thing, but he sure seems to have the “I’m content with my cash” problem.

I’m not really opposed to letting him practice – though that does remove him from PUP list eligibility (ala AB) – I just think he’s going to (a) suck, (b) hurt himself or © have an adequate if unspectacular year and show up fat to camp again next year (if there is a next year).

I hope I’m wrong because we could truly use his skills, but like I said…no confidence.

by Cincy's year on Aug 17, 2010 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

atta boy andre!

From your biggest hater – way to go big man. Keep up the good work. Glad to hear this news and more than happy to give credit where credit is due.

by Oxailis on Aug 17, 2010 5:41 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

just perusing his NFL.com draft profile again, this stuck out to me

“Smith garnered team Player of the Week honors four times during his sophomore season, when he shed over 25 pounds from his once 370-pound frame prior to the season opener. "

Eh. This isn’t the SEC, but not bad ;)

by nashville_chris on Aug 17, 2010 6:05 PM EDT reply actions

that is interesting

I hadn’t heard that before.
Maybe the guy just needs some offseason structure. He might go home to a family that feeds him deep fried chitlens, smothered in country fried back fat. If that’s the case maybe Marvin can get a restraining order requiring him to stay 100 feet away from all Southern Style buffets. If the team can get that done, they might save him from himself, and legendary bust status.

by steve whodey on Aug 17, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

He's a big guy and there's nothing wrong with him eating a lot of food

but he obviously isn’t balancing things well. For the money they pay him, they can hire a hound dog for Andre with a direct link to Marvin Lewis. Report his daily activities, make him take his daily walk (O line don’t jog) and go do his daily workout. You’re talking about a $100K annual investment to keep Carson upright and grade the road.

2010 - The Year of the Tiger.

by UpStateMike on Aug 18, 2010 7:40 AM EDT up reply actions

$21 million guaranteed

That’s whats wrong with it.
Your are right, the big man needs to eat. My point was he is not smart enough to eat the right kinds of food. He reports for camp 25 lbs overweight every year, even going back to college. He needs to hire that “Biggest Loser” lady to follow him around with a cattle prod every time he goes home to Alabama.

by steve whodey on Aug 18, 2010 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Eating better would be helpful no doubt

But even on a steady diet of Sausage Gravy, Bacon & Biscuits, Fried Chicken with Taters and Gravy, BBQ Ribs and Pulled Pork, if you work out hard enough, it’s not a big deal. Ask Chad and TO about their McD diet.

A trainer would just drive his ass 7 miles away from home and have him walk home before he could sit down for a meal. “The faster you get there, the sooner you can eat!”

2010 - The Year of the Tiger.

by UpStateMike on Aug 18, 2010 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I hear ya

however, Chad and To don’t get their McD’s brought to them in a wheel barrel. plus, “work out hard enough” is not the first thing that comes to mind when I see an ‘Andre at 370lbs’ pic.

by steve whodey on Aug 18, 2010 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Please let me be

totally wrong on this one. It would make an enormous (pun intended) difference to our offense, both for this season and in years to come, if someone can light a fire under his a$#.

by Cincy's year on Aug 17, 2010 6:23 PM EDT reply actions

Aundre Smith is extremely tallented however....

he’s a wheel barrow. He goes as far as he’s pushed. He reacts to coaching quite well but, lacks maturity or any kind of self motivation. If the coaches stay on his a$$, he can be one heck of an OT. If he’s left to his own devices, he’ll be out of the leage in a year. This is why he did so well for Saben. He did everything he was told and he was told daily. Marvin treaed him like a grown man. He isn’t one.

by BamaBengal on Aug 17, 2010 6:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I totally agree with this

by The Dealio on Aug 17, 2010 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

2010 - The Year of the Tiger.

by UpStateMike on Aug 18, 2010 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Deciding not to place him on the PUP...

…is a very telling sign that ML believes he’s made enough progress to help the team during the first six games, otherwise, it would have made perfect sense to place him on the PUP. I’m excited for the Big Guy! It won’t take much to supplant Roland at RT and if he’s in decent shape, he will be a big improvement for the OL. As hard as it is now to believe, Smith is one heck of a lineman (if he can just keep his weight in line…not the easiest thing to do).

by Who dey in LA on Aug 17, 2010 6:36 PM EDT reply actions