Bengals OT Andre Smith a full participant on Wednesday

Good news.

After missing four preseason games and many more practices, Cincinnati Bengals starting right tackle Andre Smith was a full participant during Wednesday's practice.

Before popping fireworks and slapping the gluteus maximus of wenches bringing wooden steins of mead, stay calm... for the moment. By no means does this suggest that Smith will play this Sunday against a division-rival in Baltimore, but odds are vastly improving.

Head coach Marvin Lewis told the media on Wednesday that he was unsure about Smith's status.

"I don’t know if Andre will be ready to come out of the gate," Lewis said before practice. "Concerns really don’t matter, because nobody gives me anything for them, so we’ll know where Andre is when we get to Sunday."

My Lewis translator... "He might play but we'll know more later." Seriously, just say that...

If Smith is unable to go this Sunday, backup offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse figures to get the nod. Newhouse has played 47 games in his career (all with the Green Bay Packers) with 31 starts (29 of them between '11 and '12).