Bengals veteran defensive end Robert Geathers is finished for the season after suffering an elbow injury in Monday night's 20-10 victory against Pittsburgh. The Bengals placed Geathers on injured reserve Wednesday as part of four transactions they made in anticipation of Sunday's home game against Green Bay.
University of Cincinnati alum and Cincinnati native J.K. Schaffer, a linebacker, was waived after being signed to the 53-man roster for the first time in his career prior to the Steelers game. The La Salle High School grad played on 22 of 24 special teams snaps Monday night, taking the place of Jeromy Miles.
Miles was waived Monday afternoon. The safety had been on last week's injury report with a sore hamstring and wasn't expected to be able to play. Miles was re-signed Wednesday, a sign he and his hamstring are healthy enough to practice and play this week.
The Bengals also announced the signing of cornerback Curtis Marsh, a third-year player who played in 22 games the last two seasons with Philadelphia. He was with the Eagles this preseason but suffered a fractured hand and was released on Sept. 5. Marsh was practicing with the team on Wednesday. The Bengals were down cornerbacks Adam Jones, Brandon Ghee and Dre Kirkpatrick during practice.
Geathers is the longest-tenured player for the Bengals. He was a fourth round draft choice in 2004 out of Georgia and has spent his entire 10-season career with Cincinnati. He has played in 136 games for the Bengals, with 104 starts, and has 33 career sacks. He has been a starter the last six seasons but was backing up Carlos Dunlap through the first two games this season. The Bengals signed him to a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Wallace Gilberry and second-year player Devon Still should see increased playing time with Geathers out. The Bengals carried nine defensive linemen on their original 53-man roster, with rookie second-round pick Margus Hunt being inactive the first two games. Hunt was expected to have the equivalent of a red-shirt season this year but could get an opportunity to be a game-day active sooner than later now.
