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Joseph Ossai has surgery and likely out for season; update on Trae Waynes

Pain.

Cincinnati Bengals v Tampa Bay Buccaneers Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Joseph Ossai’s 2021 season has likely come to an end.

Thursday, head coach Zac Taylor announced that Ossai already had surgery to repair the torn meniscus injury suffered in the Bengals’ preseason win over the Buccaneers. The third-round rookie out of Texas is now almost certain to miss the upcoming season, though Taylor doesn’t know if the team will keep him on the 53-man roster for Week 1.

Keeping Ossai on the Week 1 roster would allow him to be placed on IR and get the IR-return designation if he’s able to come back later in the season, but that appears highly unlikely at this time.

Another key Bengals defender is currently sidelined with his own injury, as cornerback Trae Waynes has a hamstring injury he suffered Wednesday. It’s the other hamstring plaguing Waynes now after an injury to the opposite one sidelined him at times during training camp.

Taylor is unsure if Waynes will be able to go Week 1 vs. the Minnesota Vikings.

Waynes missed all of last season with a torn pectoral muscle after signing a three-year deal with Cincinnati worth $42 million. He’s expected to be a starting boundary corner opposite of Chidobe Awuzie.

If Waynes can’t go, veteran Eli Apple is listed as his backup, while Darius Phillips could also get the starting nod.