CINCINNATI -- The Bengals signed offensive tackle Matthew O'Donnell to their offseason roster Monday, bringing back a former practice squad player who has spent the past three seasons polishing his game in Canada.
O'Donnell was signed by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2011 out of Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, and spent all of that season on the practice squad. At 6-feet-9, 340 pounds, O'Donnell was an intriguing prospect but the Bengals cut him at the end of the 2012 preseason. He signed with Edmonton of the CFL shortly after his release and has played the past three seasons for the Eskimos.
According to the Edmonton Journal, O'Donnell played in 42 games for the Eskimos at a variety of positions, including handling some emergency long snapping duties.
The Bengals are in need of offensive line depth. Right tackle Andre Smith's season ended in late November with a torn triceps muscle. Three players who started games after Smith's injury are due to become unrestricted free agents on March 10; left guard Clint Boling switched positions and started twice at right tackle after Marshall Newhouse got first crack at replacing Smith. The Bengals went out and signed veteran Eric Winston, who ended up starting the final three games of the season, including the playoff loss at Indianapolis.
