UPDATE: Marvin Lewis says Jake Fisher has a sprained ankle and after the game he was in a walking boot. That’s pretty good news (while still being bad news) considering the injury looked worse than a sprain when it happened.
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The Cincinnati Bengals may have lost yet another key player to injury.
During Thursday's preseason matchup with the Detroit Lions, Jake Fisher was forced out of the game due to a possible Achilles injury. The play happened in the first quarter following a pass play from Andy Dalton to Tyler Boyd, in which Fisher got rolled up on, one of the scariest things that can happen to a lineman.
Fisher was down after the play, then tried to get up before going back down as trainers examined him. He was then helped up and walked gingerly to the sideline, but was able to put pressure on the injured leg while limping away.
Fisher ended up on a medial cart and left for the locker room to get x-rays.
#Bengals Jake Fisher assisted off the field on the last drive. pic.twitter.com/oKsbk8aXal
— Sam Greene (@SGdoesit) August 19, 2016
And Jake Fisher carted off. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/3CSqGu2IJd
— Sam Greene (@SGdoesit) August 19, 2016
Fisher was starting at right tackle in place of the injured Cedric Ogbuehi, who is out for multiple weeks due to a toe injury. With both second-year tackles sidelined for the time being, veteran Eric Winston will be thrust into the starting lineup.
This would be a brutal loss for the Bengals, not to mention a horrible situation for Fisher. Not only was he making the start, but it came in front of many friends and family. Fisher grew up in nearby Traverse City and played high school ball for Traverse City West before playing college ball at Oregon.
Originally a second-round pick by way of the Ducks in 2015, Fisher played all of the offense as a rookie, including snaps at tight end. He worked mostly on the line this offseason, including reps at guard and center.
Even if he didn’t begin the season with a starting job, Fisher was bound to play a lot this year as a swing tackle at worst. He would have started games if Ogbuehi or left tackle Andrew Whitworth were to miss time, but now, Fisher is just hoping his season isn’t over.
We'll have more on this story as it develops.