The Chargers availed themselves of the new injured reserve rule allowing players to return after eight weeks on Tuesday and the Bengals have followed suit.
Cincinnati announced that center Kyle Cook was placed on injured reserve under the “designated to return” status as a result of a high ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason. The writing was on the wall for this move once the Bengals signed Jeff Faine as a free agent last week. Faine will step into the starting lineup, a role he knows well from his days with the Buccaneers, Saints and Browns.
To replace Cook on the roster, the Bengals signed tight end Richard Quinn. Quinn was the 64th overall pick of the 2009 draft, a selection that did not work out well for the Broncos. Quinn caught one pass in 29 games over two seasons with Denver and was waived last August as John Fox cleared out some remnants of the Josh McDaniels era. Quinn played one game with the Redskins last year and was one of their cuts down to 53 men last Friday.
Quinn provides a little bit of insurance against a prolonged absence for Jermaine Gresham, who may not be able to play on Monday because of a sprained knee. Quinn’s just a blocker, though, so Gresham’s targets will have to go elsewhere if he does wind up out of the lineup.
