CINCINNATI -- The Bengals have decided not to stand pat following the loss of right tackle Andre Smith for the season.
Veteran Eric Winston has signed a one-year contract with the Bengals. Winston, a nine-year player who happens to also be the president of the NFL Players Association, spent training camp with Seattle but has not played this season.
The team made the official announcement Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals waived offensive tackle Jamon Meredith in a corresponding move but still have one open spot available on the 53-man roster. Linebacker Jayson DiManche was placed on injured reserve Monday with a broken forearm. The Bengals would like to add another linebacker to help with depth at the position and on special teams.
Smith suffered a torn triceps against Houston on Nov. 23 and subsequently was placed on injured reserve. He was replaced by Marshall Newhouse against the Texans and Newhouse started last Sunday's 14-13 win at Tampa Bay, although right guard Clint Boling also took some snaps at tackle as the Bengals search for the best combination of players heading into the final four games of the season.
"Not good enough," said head coach Marvin Lewis when asked about how the offensive line played as a whole against Tampa Bay. "Not as good as we need. We had a couple guys play pretty well, but as a group we didn't play as well as we need to play. We need to play better."
The offense produced just 288 yards against the Buccaneers. Quarterback Andy Dalton was sacked twice and Tampa Bay was credited with four hits on him as well as seven tackles for loss in the game.
The Bengals signed Meredith, a sixth-year player, last week after Smith was placed on IR but Winston (6-6, 305) brings a deeper resume to the roster.
Winston, 31, entered the league as a third round draft pick by Houston in 2006 and has started 119 of the 126 games he's played, including all 16 games in each of the previous seven seasons. He was with the Texans from 2006-11, played for Kansas City in 2012 and was with Arizona last season.
Whether or not Winston can contribute as soon as this Sunday's game against Pittsburgh at Paul Brown Stadium remains to be seen. There is still a return trip to Pittsburgh as well as a road game to Cleveland and a home game against Denver remaining after this week's game and, with the Bengals holding on to a 1.5-game lead in the AFC North over the Steelers, Browns and Baltimore Ravens the signing of Winston is a show from management that last week's performance against Tampa Bay was not acceptable.
The only other reserve tackle the Bengals have on the roster is second-year player Tanner Hawkinson, who has been active for just three games this season but has not played any snaps.
Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson on Monday agreed with Lewis that the offensive line as a whole didn't play up to the level the Bengals need it perform.
"I'm trying to find the five best guys that can play at a high level," said Jackson. "If it means Boling being over there, great. If it means Marshall Newhouse is the answer, great. Whoever they are we have to put them out there and play."
Now Jackson and offensive line coach Paul Alexander can add Winston to their list of candidates.
