Dre Kirkpatrick back, Tyler Eifert not in attendance at Bengals’ Wednesday practice

The Bengals continued to prepare on Wednesday for their upcoming matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. But, while 52 players on the roster were in attendance, one very important player was missing.

After taking part in practice in a limited fashion for the last two weeks, Tyler Eifert was not at Wednesday’s practice or in the locker room earlier in the morning. It’s possible he’s visiting the doctor, getting re-evaluated to see if he can play on Sunday in Dallas. It’s also possible he’s facing a setback in his recovery. If Eifert were to play on Sunday, it would be the first time he’s seen the field since experiencing an ankle injury in the Pro Bowl in January.

Katherine Terrell of ESPN is reporting that Eifert was limping in the locker room on Monday morning, prior to a practice that was closed to the media.

It seems there’s beginning to be some doubt as to whether Eifert will actually make his highly anticipated return in Week 5.

In better news, the rehab field was busy today as Cedric Peerman made his first appearance since going down with a forearm injury in the preseason. Also on the rehab field were Brandon Thompson (ACL) and William Jackson III (torn pectoral).

Peerman and Jackson III will be eligible to return in Week 9, though only one of them can do so. Thompson can return in Week 7 off the PUP list.

Further good news from the field was that Dre Kirkpatrick and Josh Shaw were both practicing. Kirkpatrick missed Week 4 against the Dolphins with a hamstring injury. And, Shaw left the game with a neck stinger.

Be sure to check back later for the full practice and injury report.