Bengals CB Dre Kirkpatrick Officially Cleared For Practice

Finally.

After months of rehabilitation from a pre-training camp knee injury last year, to concussions and the continuation of issues from said knee, Dre Kirkpatrick has been officially cleared to practice by the Bengals medical staff.

CB Dre Kirkpatrick has been cleared for practice. #Bengals

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 25, 2013

Reports began surfacing before training camp last year that Kirkpatrick had suffered a broken knee, which was a simplistic version of Osgood Schlatter Syndrome. After a series of drawbacks and a stint on the Physically Unable to Perform List, Kirkpatrick made his NFL debut against the Broncos in week nine. A month later against the San Diego Chargers, Kirkpatrick suffered a concussion, and his knee became problematic again. His season was finished.

Nearly a year later rehabilitation continues. Kirkpatrick underwent a procedure on his knee in January. After missing the team's offseason training program last month, Kirkpatrick remained optimistic that he'd be ready for training camp. However, according to reports when minicamp broke, he had not been cleared by doctors.

Now Kirkpatrick will compete for playing time on a stacked roster of cornerbacks lead by Leon Hall, Terence Newman, and Adam Jones.

Dre Kirkpatrick on being cleared for camp: "I'm probably the only guy in the country that's excited for training camp" #Bengals

— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) July 25, 2013