Andre Smith left Bengals practice Monday with an unknown injury that the coaches didn't disclose, until now. Smith apparently suffered a concussion during practice, and he's now going through the NFL's concussion protocol, along with middle linebacker J.K. Schaffer, outside linebacker Jayson DiManche and tight end Kevin Brock.
It was an odd sight Monday, when Smith suddenly met with a trainer and then left the field in the middle of practice. Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson later said he knew something happened to Smith, but was confident it was nothing serious that would keep him out long. It doesn't sound like it's a serious concussion, but given Smith's history, there's always reason to be concerned when Smith and a trainer are seen together.
Smith missed most of his first two seasons in the NFL with foot injuries, but has played in 46 of the past 48 games, including 37 straight contests.
His absence has left the Bengals without their two starting tackles, as Andrew Whitworth is out with a minor calf injury, suffered during the pre-camp conditioning test.
In their place, Marshall Newhouse, Will Svitek and Tanner Hawkinson have gotten reps with the first-team offense. So long as Whit and Smith aren't out long, this could be a good thing, as Newhouse and Svitek weren't with the Bengals last year, and this will help them develop better chemistry with the line.