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Home > Blogs > Cincinnati Bengals > Archives > 2009 > October > 20
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Bengals sign DL, need to make move at TE
The Bengals have made a move to shore up one of two units that are falling apart.
Cincinnati signed defensive tackle Orien Harris Tuesday, Oct. 20, to add depth to its depleted line, but we’re still waiting for the move everyone is clamoring for — activate and start rookie tight end Chase Coffman.
The knock on Coffman is that he can’t block, having played in a wide-open offense in college, but we know he can catch. I think we’ve seen enough dropped balls and fumbles by Dan Coats and J.P. Foschi.
There’s a reason the Bengals made this kid a third-round pick. Here’s your evidence straight from his profile: “Finished his college career at Missouri as the NCAA’s all-time leader in receptions (247) by a TE, winning the John Mackey Award during his senior year as the nation’s top TE.”
Coach Marvin Lewis and his cohorts say it’s not his time yet, citing concerns about not just his blocking, which they admit is vastly improved, but his inability to play special teams.
Enough of the excuses. Time to learn on the job.
In signing the 6-3, 300-pound Harris, the Bengals bring back a familiar name.
He played in 16 games for the Bengals in 2008, with 14 starts, logging 24 tackles. The Bengals traded him to St. Louis on May 7 of this year, with Cincinnati acquiring HB Brian Leonard.
St. Louis traded Harris to Detroit on July 22, and he was with the Lions in preseason. He made the Lions’ opening 53-player roster, was inactive for the season opener, and was waived on Sept. 16, according to a press release from the Bengals.
Harris first entered the NFL in 2006, as a fourth-round draft choice of Pittsburgh. He opened the 2008 preseason with New Orleans and was acquired by the Bengals for 2008 on an Aug. 31 waiver claim.
Harris fills a Bengals roster spot opened yesterday, when DE Antwan Odom was placed on the Reserve/Injured list.
