Bengals Sign C Jeff Faine - Starting C Kyle Cook Injured

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

With Kyle Cook’s status for the season up in the air, the Bengals have signed veteran center Jeff Faine.

Faine, who is going into his 10th season, has been on the street since being released by the Bucs in March. He was a four-year starter in Tampa Bay after signing with them in free agency in 2008. He missed eight games in 2010 and four games in ’09 with a series of injuries but started 15 games last season. Faine was a first-round pick by the Browns in 2003 where he spent his first three seasons. He was traded to New Orleans in 2006 and spent two years there and was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2007. He has played in 117 games, all starts.

He has experience in a Gruden-based offense and avoids the Bengals having to go into the Sept. 10 season opener in Baltimore with two rookies on the offensive line.

Cook has an ankle injury but the severity of it and how long he will be out is still being assessed. It could be season-ending which would make Cook the second starting lineman to be lost for the year. Left guard Travelle Wharton tore his ACL in the preseason opener against the Jets.

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While you never want to lose guys, especially starters, I think we'll be alright with this. Kyle Cook was solid and that's about it, nothing more than that. Hopefully this offensive line will hold up, we have a Rookie starting at RG (Zeitler) and a guy with only three games of experience who is in his second year (Boling) at LG. Now, we have a new center. I hope this works out. I'm more worried about the younger guys than anything. I think Faine will be alright.